At least three police personnel, including Superintendent of Police (SP) Operations Asad Zubair, were martyred after two powerful explosions struck Hangu district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Friday. According to police officials, the twin blasts also left three other officers injured and caused widespread panic in the area.
KP Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zulfiqar Hameed confirmed that SP Zubair’s vehicle was targeted in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack as the officer and his team were on their way to inspect the site of a previous explosion. “SP Asad Zubair and two police personnel embraced martyrdom in the attack,” IGP Hameed said.
The first explosion occurred near a police checkpoint in Ghulmina, which fortunately caused no casualties. However, as the police team moved toward the scene, a second and more powerful blast targeted the SP’s convoy in the Darband area, approximately two kilometers from the initial blast site.
The injured officers were immediately shifted to DHQ Hospital Hangu, where emergency teams provided medical assistance, according to District Police Officer (DPO) Khanzeb Mohmand. Security forces, including police commandos and bomb disposal units, have since cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to trace those responsible.
Condemnations and Rising Violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
The deadly incident drew widespread condemnation from national leaders. President Asif Ali Zardari strongly denounced the attack, describing it as an act perpetrated by “India-backed Khawarij terrorists” seeking to destabilize Pakistan. He paid tribute to the fallen officers, calling them “heroes of peace” who laid down their lives to protect the nation.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the families of the martyred policemen. He vowed that the sacrifices of SP Zubair and his team would not go in vain, reaffirming the government’s commitment to eliminate terrorism from the country.
Pakistan has seen a renewed surge in terrorist activities, especially in KP and Balochistan, since the return of the Afghan Taliban to power in 2021. According to official police data, KP has recorded over 600 terror incidents in the first eight months of 2025, resulting in the martyrdom of 138 civilians and 79 police personnel, while more than 100 others sustained injuries.
The latest attack in Hangu serves as yet another grim reminder of the ongoing threat of militancy in Pakistan’s northwestern region, where law enforcement agencies continue to battle cross-border terrorism and safeguard national stability.
