In the wake of a deadly explosion that targeted a government vehicle in Bajaur district, the Inspector General of Police Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Zulfiqar Hameed, has ordered an immediate crackdown on extremist networks and their facilitators. A high-level inquiry report has been sought from the Regional Police Officer (RPO) Malakand.
The attack, which occurred near Sadiqabad Phatak on Nawagai Road, killed Assistant Commissioner Nawagai Faisal Ismail, a tehsildar, and two other officials, while eleven others were injured. The blast was so intense that the official vehicle was completely destroyed.
Preliminary reports indicate the involvement of the banned extremist group Khawarij, with the assailants specifically targeting the Assistant Commissioner’s convoy. Bomb Disposal Squad teams were immediately dispatched to the site, and efforts are underway to determine the nature and mechanism of the explosion.
IGP Hameed has directed the Additional IGP Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) to deploy a special investigative team to Bajaur and instructed intelligence-based operations be intensified across the region. The Special Branch is also actively gathering intelligence related to the incident.
“All available resources must be mobilised to arrest those responsible for this heinous act,” said the IGP. “We will deal with all enemies of peace, including their hidden supporters, with an iron hand.”
He emphasized that not just the attackers, but those who fund, shelter, or assist terrorists would be pursued and punished. Evidence is being collected from the site, and multiple teams have been constituted to track down those behind the attack.
Mounting Public Pressure: “Go After the Hidden Hands Too”
In response to this and other recent acts of terrorism, the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have issued a forceful and urgent demand for broader action, not only against the terrorists, but also against their facilitators, financiers, and local enablers.
In a rare and growing public outcry, citizens have voiced deep frustration over the persistent threat of violence in the region. “Terrorists cannot thrive without the shelter, food, and resources given to them by people among us,” one resident said in a widely circulated video.
Speakers stressed that targeting militants alone will not ensure peace. They demanded a relentless campaign against the entire terror ecosystem, including handlers, informants, and those offering safe havens.
“Until these shadow facilitators are unmasked and brought to justice, durable peace in our province is impossible,” said another citizen.
The collective message was unmistakable: the state must act decisively, and visibly, against all those who enable terrorism, from the battlefield to the backrooms.
“It’s time the state shows that no one who threatens public safety, whether with a weapon or a roof, is above the law.”
