Attacks in Lakki Marwat and Tank raise concerns as police face rising militant violence in southern KP
DI KHAN:
Deputy sub-inspector Mumtaz Ali was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district, police said on Monday.
In a separate incident, a police officer previously reported kidnapped in the Tank area was later found dead, authorities said.
Police said four gunmen intercepted a van near Adda Wanda Jogi in Ghazni Khel area and forced ASI Mumtaz Ali out before opening fire.
The officer was stationed at Tank. The attack took place within the jurisdiction of the Pizo Police Station, police said.
Mumtaz Ali was rushed to a hospital but died from his injuries. Police said an investigation had been launched.
ASI Mumtaz Ali, left, and agent Sajjad Hussain, right. The two police officers were killed in separate attacks in Tank and Lakki Marwat. Photos: Express
Authorities said the attackers arrived on motorcycles and are believed to have used off-road routes from the Malaga side. They fled the same route after the attack, police added.
In another incident in Tank, police confirmed the murder of Constable Sajjad Hussain. He was previously reported to have been kidnapped in the Shah Alam Abad area while he was on leave.
Police said his body was recovered and taken to a hospital for medico-legal formalities. Authorities said efforts were underway to determine the circumstances surrounding his murder.
Officials said the two incidents have raised concerns over the security situation in Tank and nearby districts of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Read: KP predicts 50% increase in terrorist attacks in 2025
Law enforcement personnel have been increasingly targeted in these areas in recent months, authorities said.
According to safety assessments cited in previous reports from The express PAkGazetteKhyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded more than 1,500 terror-related incidents last year.
During the period, more than 130 police officers and staff were killed in attacks on patrols, convoys and off-duty officials.
Districts like Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat and Tank are among the worst affected.
Police said both murders were being examined from multiple angles. Search and investigation operations were being carried out to trace and arrest those involved, officials said.
