HANGU: Three police personnel were martyred late Wednesday night when terrorists launched an assault on the Qazi Talab checkpost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu district, according to a statement issued by the provincial Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD). The attack, which took place under the cover of darkness, triggered an intense two-hour exchange of fire between law enforcers and militants.
The CTD said the terrorists launched a “cowardly attack” on the checkpost, prompting an immediate response led by Hangu District Police Officer (DPO) Khan Zeb Mohmand. Police personnel reportedly surrounded the area and “stood firm against the enemy like a wall of lead,” eventually thwarting the assault.
Despite successfully foiling the attack, the operation claimed the lives of three officials: Head Constable Wahid Shah, Head Constable Hikmat Khan, and Constable Abdul Samad. The CTD added that several militants were believed to have been killed, though the attackers managed to escape using the rugged terrain to their advantage. During a subsequent search operation, police recovered the body of one armed militant.
Condemnations poured in soon after the incident. KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi denounced the attack and ordered the deployment of additional personnel to secure the area. “Terrorists have no religion. Cowardly attacks cannot demoralise us,” he said, adding that the sacrifices of the martyred officers “will not go in vain.” Afridi also sought a detailed report from the provincial police chief and instructed officials to ensure swift medical treatment for the injured.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also condemned the assault, paying tribute to the fallen policemen. In a statement posted on the ministry’s X account, he extended condolences to the families of the martyrs and reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to combating terrorism. “These sacrifices are a testament to Pakistan’s unwavering resolve in the fight against terrorism,” he said.
The incident comes amid a surge in militant attacks across KP and Balochistan since the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in 2022. This month’s attack follows an IED blast on November 2 that injured three police officers in Hangu, and an October 24 incident in which three policemen, including a superintendent, were martyred in twin blasts attributed to the TTP.
