Kohat Police Lines attack kills 16, injures around 50

At least 16 people, including five police personnel, were killed and around 50 others injured after a major attack near the Old Police Lines in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Friday. The incident occurred around the time of Friday prayers and was followed by armed clashes, prompting authorities to seal the surrounding area and launch an extensive security and rescue operation.

Police and hospital officials said five police personnel and 11 civilians were among those killed. The wounded were transported to the District Headquarters Hospital in Kohat, where an emergency was declared to handle the influx of casualties. Medical teams continued treating the injured as authorities assessed the condition of those seriously wounded.

Initial information from provincial police indicated that an explosives-laden vehicle may have been used in the attack. Security officials said a suicide attacker later detonated explosives near the Special Branch building, while gunfire and further explosions were reported as police and Counter-Terrorism Department personnel confronted armed attackers inside and around the complex. Investigators were continuing to establish the precise sequence and nature of the assault.

The area around the Police Lines was cordoned off as security personnel carried out a clearance operation. Police said the operation was aimed at neutralising remaining attackers and ensuring that no additional threat remained inside the compound. The Kohat-Hangu route was also affected by security restrictions as authorities sought to control access to the scene and allow emergency teams to operate safely.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed sought a report from the regional police authorities and said the provincial force would continue confronting militant violence. Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also requested a detailed report and directed officials to ensure immediate medical care for the injured and adequate facilities at hospitals dealing with casualties from the attack.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the incident and instructed the relevant authorities to provide the injured with the best available treatment while seeking a report on the circumstances surrounding the attack. President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed grief over the loss of life and called for effective action against terrorism. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi conveyed condolences to the bereaved families and said the attack would not weaken the country's resolve against militant violence.

Kohat and other districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have faced repeated militant attacks targeting police, security personnel and public facilities. The Police Lines area itself was struck in a major bombing in 2010 that killed 20 people and injured more than 90, many of them relatives of police personnel. The latest incident again highlights the security pressure facing law-enforcement agencies in the province and the risks posed to civilians living near sensitive installations.

Authorities are expected to continue the clearance operation, forensic examination of the blast site and efforts to identify the attackers and any facilitators. Investigators will also examine explosives, surveillance material and other evidence recovered from the scene as officials work to establish how the attackers reached the heavily secured area and whether additional individuals were involved in planning or supporting the assault.