Daily Times

In a troubling turn of events, suspected militants launched an attack on a police station in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan, on Sunday night, as reported by The News on Monday. Security personnel successfully repelled the assault, but it was not an isolated incident. The attack marked one of several in the district since the preceding Friday, which resulted in the injury of a police constable. The focal point of these attacks was the Gul Imam police station in Tank.

According to details, the armed militants carried out a coordinated attack on the police station, leading to a fierce exchange of fire between the police personnel and the assailants. Subsequently, the militants managed to escape the area, evading capture. During the one-hour confrontation, Police Constable Waheed Gul was injured and swiftly transported to the District Headquarters Hospital in Tank for medical attention.

Responding promptly to the incident, District Police Officer Tank, Iftikhar Ali Shah, arrived at the scene accompanied by a significant contingent of police officers. A thorough search operation was initiated in the vicinity to track down the suspects responsible for the attack.

The assault on the police station followed a previous act of violence on the past Friday, in which at least six individuals lost their lives, and more than 30 sustained injuries, including two policemen. The target of this attack was a police van in DI Khan’s Tank Adda area. The vehicle was en route from Ijaz Shaheed Police Lines in Dera Ismail Khan city to Kulachi tehsil when it fell victim to a remote-controlled blast.

Authorities confirmed that explosives had been concealed within a motorcycle, and the victims were primarily civilians passing through the area at the time of the attack. The explosion, using approximately five to six kilograms of explosives, inflicted substantial damage on the police van.

This recent incident in Dera Ismail Khan underscores the enduring challenge of terrorism in Pakistan. The Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) reported a concerning trend, with security forces losing at least 386 personnel in the first nine months of 2023, marking an eight-year high in casualties. The third quarter of 2023 alone witnessed 445 fatalities and 440 injuries resulting from 190 terror attacks and counter-terror operations.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan emerged as the primary centers of violence, with these regions accounting for nearly 94% of all fatalities and 89% of attacks, encompassing both acts of terrorism and security force operations, during this period.

In response to these incidents, rigorous search operations have been initiated, with authorities committed to bringing the responsible parties to justice. However, the alarming statistics highlight the pressing need for a comprehensive strategy to address the persistent threat of terrorism in Pakistan.