DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Security forces killed at least five Khawarij, including a suicide bomber, after a deadly overnight attack on a police training centre in Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, officials said on Saturday. Seven police personnel were martyred in the assault.
Police said heavily armed militants launched the attack around 8:30 pm on Friday, storming the training facility after detonating a suicide bomb at the entrance. Officers stationed inside returned fire, engaging the attackers in a fierce gun battle that lasted several hours.
A senior police official said the firefight quickly turned in favour of the security forces, who repelled the attackers and secured the compound before reinforcements arrived.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Hafiz Muhammad Adnan confirmed that all the militants involved were killed. “The joint operation by police and security forces continued late into the night until the entire facility was cleared,” he said.
Thirteen injured personnel were shifted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Trauma Centre for medical treatment, according to hospital officials.
The director general of public relations said that more than 200 police officers and recruits were safely rescued during the operation. He confirmed that both the Police Training School and a nearby office of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) were completely cleared.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly condemned the attack, calling it an “act of cowardice” by terrorists. He paid tribute to the seven policemen who were martyred while defending the facility.
“The police officers laid down their lives to foil the attack, turning the terrorists’ nefarious designs into dust,” Naqvi said in a statement. He extended condolences to the families of the martyrs and prayed for the recovery of the wounded.
Naqvi praised the courage and professionalism of the officers, saying the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police had made “unparalleled sacrifices in the war against terrorism.” He reaffirmed the government’s resolve to continue operations against militant groups.
Acting Senate Chairman Syedaal Khan also condemned the attack, saying the terrorists aimed to destabilise Pakistan but would not succeed. “The blood of our brave sentinels will not go in vain. Pakistan’s resolve against terrorism remains unwavering,” he said.
Militancy in DI Khan:
The attack came two days after a Pakistan Army officer was martyred in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Daraban area of Dera Ismail Khan. The operation, conducted on October 8, killed seven “Indian proxy terrorists,” the military’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
Major Sibtain Haider, 30, from Quetta district, led his troops during the operation and “fought gallantly” before embracing martyrdom, according to ISPR.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif both paid tribute to Major Haider. The prime minister praised the security forces for “fighting the Fitna al-Khawarij”—a term used for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)—and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eliminate terrorism.
Renewed push against terrorism
In a press briefing on Friday, DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry reiterated the armed forces’ resolve to uproot terrorism and dismantle what he called the “political-criminal nexus” fueling militant activity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said that despite the National Action Plan (NAP) adopted after the 2014 APS tragedy, “subsequent governments failed to ensure continuity.” The plan, now revived as “Azm-e-Istehkam,” remains only partially implemented, he added.
Lt Gen Chaudhry said terrorists and their facilitators were “given space” in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under a “well-thought-out plot,” which also undermined governance and public welfare.
Violence on the rise
Pakistan has seen a 46% rise in violence in the third quarter of 2025, according to data from the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS). The country recorded at least 901 fatalities and 599 injuries in 329 incidents of violence, including terror attacks and counterterror operations.
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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan accounted for more than 96% of the total incidents. KP alone witnessed nearly 71% of all fatalities, highlighting the region’s status as the epicentre of Pakistan’s renewed struggle against terrorism.
