Cop martyred, another wounded in Karak attack

KARAK: A policeman was martyred and another seriously injured after unidentified armed attackers opened fire on a police patrol in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Karak district late Tuesday night.

According to police officials, the patrol team was carrying out routine duty near the Shatakai Dam area, within the jurisdiction of Sabirabad Police Station, when it came under attack.

Police spokesperson Shaukat Khan said Constable Zafran was killed in the assault, while Constable Muhammad Imtiaz suffered serious bullet wounds.

The bodies and the injured officer were shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment and other necessary procedures.

Soon after the incident, a heavy police contingent led by District Police Officer Imran Khan reached the area.

Security personnel cordoned off the site and launched a search operation to locate the attackers. Additional police units were deployed at different points in the area to monitor the movement of suspicious individuals and prevent the assailants from escaping.

Police officials said efforts were continuing to track down those responsible for the attack. They also reaffirmed their determination to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The incident comes amid an increase in militant activity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to monthly data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, mainland KP recorded 54 terrorist attacks in August, compared with 36 in July. This represented a 50 per cent increase in attacks.

However, fatalities from terrorist attacks declined during the same period. The number of deaths fell from 69 in July to 44 in August, while injuries dropped from 96 to 70.

Security forces also carried out operations against militants in the province during August, killing 56 terrorists, according to the data.

Karak has also witnessed attacks on police personnel in recent months. In August, a police constable was martyred and six officials were injured when an improvised explosive device targeted a police patrol vehicle in the district.