Terrorists struck fear into the heart of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa late Saturday, storming a police station in Bajaur’s War Mamund tehsil and claiming the life of Additional SHO Gul Mahmood. The ferocious nighttime assault highlights the relentless pressure on Pakistan’s frontline defenders.
Dawn reported that officials disclosed details on Sunday, revealing how militants armed with an arsenal of light and heavy firearms bombarded the outpost. Despite a valiant overnight stand by the stationed officers, the Additional SHO fell in the line of duty.
Sunday’s inspection by senior police brass brought some relief: no other casualties among the ranks. Yet, the officer’s words carried weight: ‘Gul Mahmood’s sacrifice embodies the unyielding spirit of our force against terror.’
The pattern is alarmingly familiar. Days prior, in Dera Ismail Khan’s Paniala Wanda Budh, gunmen waylaid a police team post-search op, killing four including an SHO. Hidden in dense woods, the perpetrators turned a routine return into a deadly trap.
Zooming out, the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies’ 2025 Security Report delivers sobering stats: 699 assaults nationwide, up 34% from last year, resulting in 1,034 deaths and 1,366 wounded. Violence-linked events ballooned 43% to 1,124, with fatalities surging 21% amid rising crime and insurgency.
As attacks proliferate in KP and Balochistan, questions swirl about intelligence lapses and the efficacy of counter-terror strategies. For families of the fallen and communities under siege, the toll is not just numbers—it’s a daily battle for survival in Pakistan’s restive northwest.