Seven Policemen, Including SHO, Martyred in IED Attack on Police Vehicle in KP’s Lakki Marwat

PESHAWAR: Seven policemen, including a station house officer (SHO), were martyred when terrorists targeted a police vehicle with an improvised explosive device (IED) in the Bettani subdivision of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district on Friday.

According to district police spokesman Qudratullah, a squad from the Shahdikhel police station was on routine patrol in the area when the attack occurred. Terrorists had planted an IED along the Shahdikhel–Mastikhel road, which exploded as the police vehicle passed through the area.

Six policemen — including the SHO and five constables — were killed instantly in the blast. One injured policeman was rushed to hospital but later succumbed to his injuries, raising the total number of martyrs to seven.

The bodies of the martyred personnel and the injured were shifted to a nearby hospital. Following the attack, a heavy police contingent reached the site and launched a search operation in the area to track down the perpetrators.

President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the attack in a statement issued by the President House and expressed grief over the loss of lives. He offered prayers for the martyrs and wished a speedy recovery for the injured.

The president reiterated that the state’s resolve to eliminate terrorism remains “unwavering” and said such cowardly attacks would not weaken the nation’s determination to restore peace.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has witnessed a surge in militant attacks over the past year. According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) Annual Security Report 2025, fatalities in the province rose sharply from 1,620 in 2024 to 2,331 in 2025.

The report noted an increase of 711 deaths, accounting for more than 82 percent of the national rise in fatalities, marking nearly a 44 percent year-on-year surge in violence in the province.

Last month, nine police personnel — including a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) — were martyred in separate terrorist attacks in Bhakkar, Kohat, and Wana, while days earlier three Federal Constabulary personnel were killed in another terrorist attack in Karak, officials said.