At least seven people, including six police officers, were killed in a terrorist attack on a police vehicle in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kohat district on Tuesday. The assailants opened fire on the mobile van before setting it ablaze, marking another deadly incident in a surge of regional violence.
Details of the Attack
According to police, the attack occurred in the remote Shakardara Road area. Terrorists ambushed the police van, killing three officers on the spot, including Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Asad Mehmood. Two civilians passing by were also injured in the initial assault.
The death toll later rose to seven after three injured police personnel and one civilian succumbed to their wounds. Three other officers and a second civilian remain under treatment.
Official Condemnation and Regional Context
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly condemned the attack, attributing it to the militant group Fitna al-Khawarij. He paid tribute to DSP Mehmood and the fallen officers, stating they “attained the highest rank of martyrdom” and sacrificed “their today for the nation’s tomorrow.”
The attack is part of a worrying pattern of violence in provinces bordering Afghanistan. Just a day earlier, three Frontier Constabulary personnel were killed in an ambulance attack in Karak. Recent weeks have also seen Pakistani security forces conduct intelligence-based operations and airstrikes against militant camps along the Afghanistan border.
Rising Tensions and Cross-Border Strikes
Pakistan has witnessed an increase in cross-border terrorist activity since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has accused India of waging a “proxy war” via militant attacks, alleging coordination between New Delhi, Kabul, and terrorist outfits.
In response to recent suicide attacks, Pakistan carried out airstrikes on Sunday targeting seven terrorist camps and hideouts in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar, Paktika, and Khost provinces. Security sources reported over 80 militants were killed.
Strained Pakistan-Afghanistan Relations
The recent military action follows escalating tensions. Islamabad has repeatedly called on the Afghan Taliban regime to curb militant groups operating from its soil, appeals that have largely gone unheeded. The two countries engaged in border clashes in October 2025, resulting in significant casualties on both sides.
Despite multiple rounds of talks, a lasting ceasefire has been elusive due to the Afghan Taliban’s reluctance to act against terrorist sanctuaries, continuing to pose a severe security challenge for Pakistan.
