Policeman Martyred, Another Injured in Karak Patrol Attack

A police constable was martyred and another officer was wounded after unidentified armed men opened fire on a police patrol in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Karak district late Tuesday night, prompting security personnel to cordon off the area and launch a search for the attackers.

The shooting took place near Shankai Dam while police personnel were carrying out routine patrol duties. Officials identified the martyred constable as Zafran and the injured policeman as Muhammad Imtiaz. The wounded officer was taken to hospital for medical treatment, while the body of the slain constable was also shifted from the scene.

Police said unidentified gunmen targeted the officers before fleeing the area. Authorities had not announced any arrests or identified the attackers by the time the initial information was released. No group was reported to have claimed responsibility for the shooting, and officials were continuing efforts to establish the circumstances and motive behind the attack.

Following the incident, senior police officers reached the area and additional personnel were deployed as part of a search operation. DSP Yousaf Khattak said police had surrounded the locality and were searching for the assailants. Investigators were also examining the attack as efforts continued to trace those responsible.

The latest shooting adds to security concerns facing police personnel in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where law-enforcement teams have repeatedly been targeted during patrols, search operations and deployments. Karak itself has witnessed earlier attacks on police, including an improvised explosive device strike on a patrol vehicle in August that killed a constable and injured several other officers.

Security data released for August indicated an increase in militant attacks across mainland Khyber Pakhtunkhwa compared with the previous month. The pattern has kept police and other security agencies on heightened alert, particularly in districts where patrol teams and checkpoints have previously come under attack.

The killing is expected to lead to intensified search and intelligence activity in and around the Shankai Dam area as investigators attempt to identify the attackers and determine how they approached and escaped from the scene. Police are also expected to review available evidence and question people who may have information about suspicious movements in the locality.

For residents of Karak and surrounding districts, the incident highlights the continuing security pressure on frontline police personnel responsible for maintaining routine patrols and responding to threats. The immediate focus remains on the search for the gunmen, the treatment of the injured constable and the investigation aimed at bringing those responsible for the deadly attack to justice.