3 policemen martyred in Lower Dir attack

3 policemen martyred in Lower Dir attack

LOWER DIR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zulfiqar Hameed said on Thursday that police successfully repelled a major three-pronged terrorist attack in Lower Dir, despite losing three officers in the operation.

Speaking at a press conference at the Lower Dir District Police Office, the IGP said the attack took place during a search-and-strike combing operation in which police teams cleared three valleys. He confirmed that three policemen embraced martyrdom, while several others sustained injuries.

Hameed said the operation dealt a significant blow to the militants. According to eyewitness accounts and photographic evidence gathered by police, the terrorists suffered heavy casualties during the fighting.

He praised the courage of the police personnel, saying they stood their ground and foiled the coordinated assault despite facing a larger number of attackers. He also acknowledged the district police officer, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) superintendent, and other officers for rescuing the police team trapped in the ambush.

The IGP said the injured officers were recovering well, adding that most of them were likely to leave the hospital soon.

Reaffirming the police force’s commitment to eliminating terrorism, Hameed said such attacks would not weaken the resolve of law enforcement agencies. He warned that anyone attempting to threaten public peace would face a decisive response.

To strengthen security in the region, he announced that authorities would soon hold a meeting to develop a comprehensive strategy for restoring lasting peace and would utilise all available resources for that purpose.

Rejecting claims that the government’s writ had weakened in parts of the province, Hameed said the police continued to maintain control and were further improving their operational capabilities.

He added that the provincial budget had allocated more than Rs70 million for modern policing equipment, along with additional funding aimed at enhancing the force’s overall capacity.