The Chodwan police station in Dera Ismail Khan was attacked late on Monday, resulting in the martyrdom of ten cops and injuries to six others. The attack took place just three days before the general elections scheduled for February 8. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief Akhtar Hayat Gandapur stated that over 30 terrorists launched the attack, seizing control of the police station briefly and using hand grenades which caused more casualties to the police.
Security concerns have escalated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan due to multiple attacks in the past few days. Despite this, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the security apparatus have confirmed that the polls will be held as scheduled. Caretaker KP Chief Minister Justice (rtd) Arshad Hussain Shah expressed his grief over the attack and commended the sacrifices made by the KP police for peace in the province.
Former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and ex-president Asif Ali Zardari also condemned the attack, with Zardari advocating for the implementation of the National Action Plan to eliminate terrorism. The terror activities in Balochistan and KP have been on the rise, with a significant increase in violence-related fatalities and injuries in 2023, according to a report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies.
AFP and Reuters provided additional input for this report.