On Pakistan’s Independence Day, a police officer was killed and another injured after unidentified gunmen attacked a police station near Peshawar, officials said on Thursday.
According to reports, the officer has been identified as Constable Abu Bakar. The injured officer was identified as Haroon and is receiving treatment. According to news agency PTI, the attackers were armed with heavy weapons and they targeted the Hassan Khel police station, about 30 km southwest of Peshawar. Police also responded with heavy fire, which resulted in a fierce gun battle.
Authorities have issued an alert and sent reinforcements to assist in ongoing security operations in the area.
Meanwhile, in another incident on Wednesday, a woman and two children were killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province when their house was hit during a military operation. Several others were injured. They were later taken to a local hospital.
Pakistan’s army has been conducting a three-day targeted operation under curfew in Lowi Mamund and War Mamund tehsils of Bajaur district. It has been a former stronghold of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The operation has forced about 55,000 people to leave their homes since last week. More than 20,000 families are now living in designated shelters. Officials said the displaced people are being provided with three meals a day. They have also eased curfew restrictions in certain areas, reopening markets and major roads, including Khar-Munda, Khar-Nawagai, Khar-Sadiqabad, and Inayat Killi.
However, officials have not yet released details about casualties among Pakistani security forces or the militants involved in the fighting.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.