Peshawar - Dera Ismail Khan district has reported the highest number of deaths in terrorist attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this year.
DI Khan, the home district of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Akhtar Hayat Khan, has been severely affected by terrorism.
Speaking to The Nation, IGP Akhtar Hayat Khan acknowledged the ongoing issues in DI Khan and Bannu, attributing them to the infiltration of militants from across the Afghan border. He clarified that the media-reported figure of 337 deaths was inaccurate and that approximately 90 lives have been lost in terrorist incidents this year.
“Our personnel have started using artificial intelligence and modern weaponry to combat terrorism,” he added. Khan also noted that while extortion cases were previously underreported, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has successfully addressed these cases under his directive, leading to a decrease in such incidents.
The DI Khan district, along with Bannu, North Waziristan, South Waziristan, Bajaur, Khyber, Peshawar, Kurram, Mardan, Malakand, Kohat, Dir, Mohmand, and Hazara, has experienced significant losses due to violent attacks by the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The police force has suffered the most casualties among all forces.
Other districts with notable losses include Bannu, North Waziristan, South Waziristan, Bajaur, Khyber, Peshawar, Kurram, Mardan, Malakand, Kohat, Dir, and Mohmand.
A report indicates that Peshawar has seen 12 police officers killed and 15 injured in the past nine months. In Khyber district, 5 officers have been killed and 12 wounded. Mardan has recorded 5 deaths and 13 injuries, Mohmand 2 deaths and 4 injuries, Dir 2 deaths and 7 injuries, Kohat 5 deaths and 6 injuries, North Waziristan 5 deaths, South Waziristan 3 deaths and 11 injuries, Kurram 1 death and 6 injuries, and Hazara 1 death and 1 injury.
An official also mentioned that several key TTP commanders recently returned to Pakistan and were killed by security forces. It is believed that the Afghan Taliban may have asked the TTP to leave their territory, leading to the return and subsequent elimination of some militant commanders in Pakistan.