Pakistan: Police personnel injured after attack on vehicle in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Islamabad, Jan 8 At least two police personnel were injured as the police vehicle carrying prisoners to Hangu was attacked by unknown assailants in Bannu area of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday, local media reported, citing sources.

Hangu police's vehicle carrying prisoners for court appearances came under attack at Domel Link Road, Pakistan's leading daily Dawn reported, citing sources in Bannu police. A source in the Bannu Central Jail’s administration also told the daily that the prisoners were being taken to court for hearing as per routine. The source stated that the vehicle was targetted while it was heading to the court.

After the incident, vehicle's driver changed the route, according to sources in Bannu police. The injured police personnel were taken to hospital for treatment. An investigation into the attack has been launched while the security has been enhanced in the area, as per the police sources.

The incident occurred amid a rise in attacks targetting law enforcement personnel in Pakistan, especially in the border provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

On Monday, at least one person was killed, and nine others injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast targetting a cement factory vehicle in the Lakki Marwat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, local media reported, citing police.

Police stated that the explosion took place on Begukhel Road near the Nawarkhel Mor. The police said that the deceased was identified as Fareedullah, while the injured included Mir Ahmad, Abdul Malik, Umar Khan, Masal Khan and Syed Jan, Pakistan's leading media outlet Geo News reported. Following the explosion, Rescue 1122 teams reached the site of the incident and took the injured to City Hospital in Lakki.

Meanwhile, a report has said that the security situation in Pakistan deteriorated sharply in 2025, marking the fifth consecutive year of increasing conflict and violence in the country. A total of 699 attacks were recorded in Pakistan in 2025, showcasing a rise of 34 per cent over 2024, according to the Pakistan Security Report 2025 by PIPS, local media reported.

As many as 1,034 people were killed and 1,366 others injured in these attacks, demonstrating a 21 per cent rise in fatalities. The conflict-related violence, including attacks, counterterrorism operations, border clashes, and abductions increased to 1,124 incidents -- a rise of 43 per cent from 2024. These incidents can no longer be seen as setbacks but showcase a crisis that is increasing in scale and becoming harder to control, leading Pakistani daily Dawn reported.

Security personnel make up a large share of those killed in these attacks with police stations, patrols and checkpoints being regularly targetted, the report highlighted. Attacks mostly occured in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Attacks on law enforcement personnel have become common in southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Insurgents have increased their strategies in Balochistan beyond hit-and-run attacks to incorporating highway blockades, abductions, and infrastructure damage. Much of the violence is driven by religiously motivated groups, especially the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the security report detailed.

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