Senior police officer among three killed in twin bombings in northwest Pakistan

A senior police officer and two other policemen were killed on Friday in twin bomb blasts targeting law enforcement personnel in Pakistan’s northwestern Hangu district, officials said.

The explosions occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan and has faced a renewed wave of militant attacks in recent months.

Zulfiqar Hameed, the province’s Inspector General of Police (IGP), said unidentified attackers detonated an explosive device at the Ghulmina check post in the jurisdiction of the Bliamina Police Station. No casualties were reported from that initial blast.

“Later, as Superintendent of Police (Operations) Asad Zubair was enroute to inspect the site with his team, their vehicle was targeted in a second explosion,” Hameed said.

District Police Officer (DPO) Khan Zeb Khan said Superintendent Zubair, his gunman Dawood, and driver Atif sustained critical injuries in the second blast and were pronounced dead upon arrival at a local hospital.

SP Asad Zubair.Courtesy: Local residents

“Two other police personnel were also injured and are undergoing treatment at the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ), where their condition is reported to be stable,” he added.

Regional Police Officer (RPO) Abbas Majeed Marwat said the Hangu police had already been on high alert when the attack occurred. “An improvised explosive device (IED) first detonated near a police check post, but there was no one present at the site,” he said. “The personnel were about 100 meters away and remained safe.”

“Around 10 to 15 minutes later, Superintendent of Police (Operations) Asad Zubair arrived to inspect the scene,” Marwat added. “As soon as his convoy reached the area, militants from the Fitnatul Khawarij group ambushed them. When Asad’s vehicle came close to the blast site, another IED exploded.”

Marwat said SP Zubair was critically injured, while two members of his team were killed on the spot. “Asad Zubair later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital,” he confirmed.

KP CM condemns bombing

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi condemned the bombing and ordered the provincial police chief to submit an immediate report on the incident. He also convened a meeting of the Apex Committee — a high-level civil-military body — to review the province’s security situation.

Afridi vowed that those responsible “will be brought to justice at all costs,” adding that such “cowardly attacks cannot shake the resolve of the security forces.”

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also condemned the assault, saying the sacrifices of the slain policemen “will not be forgotten.”

“In the fight against terrorism, the police who gave their lives are a source of national pride and will be remembered for their bravery,” Kundi said.

Police said a formal investigation has been launched. “Preliminary findings indicate that the police were the intended target. The exact quantity of explosives used is still being determined,” authorities said.

The Ittehad ul Mujahideen Pakistan (IMP), an alliance of several militant factions, claimed responsibility for the attack on the police convoy. The group has recently been linked to multiple attacks in the region targeting security forces.

Surge in militancy

Hangu district, located near Pakistan’s tribal belt bordering Afghanistan, has long been a hotspot for militant activity. The area’s proximity to North Waziristan, Kurram, and Orakzai — regions historically associated with insurgent networks — has made it a persistent flashpoint in Pakistan’s battle against terrorism.

The attacks come amid an uptick in militant violence across Pakistan’s northwestern and southwestern regions. Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Taliban government in Kabul of harboring or turning a blind eye to militant groups operating from Afghan soil, an allegation the Taliban deny.

Pakistan has witnessed a surge in bombings and targeted attacks over the past two years, mainly claimed by groups aligned with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its offshoots. Police and military personnel have frequently been targeted in ambushes and roadside bombings.

Security forces have intensified operations across the border areas to curb the growing militant threat, but the rugged terrain and porous frontier with Afghanistan continue to make the task difficult.