Lakki Marwat, a district increasingly in the cross-hairs of subversive elements, witnessed two back-to-back security threats on Saturday, both pointing to a deliberate campaign to destabilise critical infrastructure and create fear among the local population.
In the first incident, security forces successfully defused an IED planted along a kacha route near Wanda Chekrhi in the jurisdiction of Dadiwala police station. The timely action averted a potentially deadly explosion that could have claimed civilian or law enforcement lives.
In a separate and more damaging act of sabotage, unknown individuals once again targeted the gas pipeline supplying fuel from the Betanni Oil & Gas Field to Punjab. The explosion occurred in Khan Khel, within the limits of Shadi Khel police station, Betanni sub-division, sending tremors of fear across the region. The pipeline rupture led to significant gas leakage, triggering panic among nearby residents.
This marks the fourth such attack on the same pipeline in July alone, raising serious concerns over the security of national energy assets and the rising boldness of anti-state actors operating in the area.
Authorities are currently investigating both incidents, while a security sweep is underway to trace the culprits behind what officials are calling a coordinated campaign to sabotage infrastructure and disrupt peace in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Security sources confirm that increased vigilance and surveillance measures are being implemented across strategic routes and installations in Lakki Marwat, as the state moves to tighten its grip on elements involved in this cycle of violence.
