At least four people, including North Waziristan Assistant Commissioner (AC) Shah Waliullah, were martyred when armed assailants on Tuesday opened fire on a police vehicle near Miranshah Road in Bannu.
According to the police, unidentified gunmen attacked the vehicle and seized weapons from injured officers. Initial reports said that three people, including two policemen, were killed while two others sustained injuries.
The Bannu AC confirmed the incident, saying that the vehicle of his North Waziristan counterpart was targeted.
Two policemen and a driver were also injured in the firing.
It may be noted that Pakistan has registered a significant spike in terror incidents across the country in 2025.
During the last quarter, a 46 percent increase in violence was reported due to a spike in militant attacks and intensified counter-terrorism operations.
According to a report by Islamabad-based think tank Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), 901 fatalities and 599 injuries resulting from 329 incidents of violence, including terrorist attacks and counter-terrorism operations were reported between July and September.
There were 2,414 deaths in the first three quarters of 2025, nearing the 2,546 fatalities reported in 2024, according to the think tank.
The report added that when comparing casualty numbers from January to September 2024 (1,527 fatalities) to this year, 2,414 fatalities were recorded within the same period — an increase of 58pc.
While a number of terror attacks and counter-terror ops have also been reported since after the report was published, it is pertinent to note that attacks have increased since the withdrawal of US-led troops from neighbouring Afghanistan in 2021, with the federal government accusing the Taliban authorities of sheltering terrorists — a charge they deny.