ISLAMABAD: A police officer was killed and five others wounded on Monday when a suicide bomber targeted a police patrolling van in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district, in the latest attack on law enforcement in Pakistan’s northwest.
Police confirmed that Head Constable Alauddin was martyred in the blast, while five others sustained injuries.
According to Police spokesman Asif Hassan, the bomber’s accomplice managed to flee, and a search operation is underway.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack, paying tribute to the fallen officer and warning that the country “can no longer afford” the security risks posed by militants entering Pakistan from Afghanistan.
“These cowardly attacks cannot weaken our determination,” Naqvi said.
Earlier, talking to the media in Lahore, Naqvi reiterated that many recent terror incidents were linked to Afghan nationals or Afghan-based groups, calling on authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to enforce federal decisions on undocumented Afghans.
He added: “Our message to illegal Afghans is to leave respectfully. If caught now, we will not just send you back.”
The minister said the KP government must prioritise national security over politics.
Rising cross-border militancy after TTP regrouping in Afghanistan
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in militant attacks, particularly in KP and Balochistan, following the Afghan Taliban takeover in Kabul.
Security officials say several high-profile attacks — including suicide bombings, assaults on police posts, and attacks on counterterrorism headquarters — have been traced back to Afghan nationals or Afghan soil.
Last week, three police personnel were martyred in Hangu, and earlier attacks in Peshawar were also linked to Afghan militants, according to Pakistani authorities.
Islamabad maintains that Kabul has failed to prevent the TTP and affiliated groups from operating across the border.
The Lakki Marwat bombing adds to concerns that Pakistan’s northwest remains vulnerable to cross-border militancy, with law enforcement bearing the brunt of the violence.
