Several police officials were tragically killed in an assault on a police patrol in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan district, as reported by the police.
The attack coincided with approximately 128 million people nationwide casting their votes amidst a widespread internet and cellular service outage. Earlier, the interior ministry announced the mobile network blockage citing security concerns.
Dera Ismail Khan’s police chief, Rauf Qaisrani, disclosed that bomb explosions and gunfire targeted a police convoy in the Kulachi area. He mentioned that the area had been sealed off, with investigations ongoing.
Meanwhile, Saeed Ahmed Umrani, the commissioner of Makran division, informed Reuters of grenade attacks in various parts of the province, although polling activities remained unaffected, with no casualties reported.
Interim KP Chief Minister Justice (retd) Arshad Hussain Shah condemned the attacks in Dera Ismail Khan and Tank, affirming that such incidents wouldn’t deter the police from their duties. Media sources reported one fatality in a firing incident in Tank, though officials refrained from confirming the casualty count or the incident’s nature.
Simultaneously, Mohsin Dawar, National Democratic Movement (NDM) Chairman, addressed a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja concerning the precarious security situation in Tappi, North Waziristan in NA-40. Dawar highlighted threats issued by militants to locals and polling staff, emphasizing that Taliban control over polling stations posed a significant risk.
Dawar claimed that his previous warnings to the district returning officer had been disregarded and urged the election commission to urgently address the situation to ensure safety during polling.
The nation has witnessed a surge in terrorism, especially in KP and Balochistan. Recent incidents include deadly blasts outside election offices in Balochistan’s Qila Saifullah and Pishin, an assassination attempt on JUI-F leader Hafiz Hamdullah, and increased violence noted by international bodies like Amnesty International and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
A security report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies highlighted 1,524 fatalities and 1,463 injuries from 789 terror attacks and counter-terror operations in 2023, with KP and Balochistan being the epicenters of violence.
