Devastating Blast Near Old Police Lines in Kohat Claims 16 Lives and Leaves 57 Injured; Terrorist Neutralized by Sniper
KOHAT: A powerful explosion rocked the area near the old police lines in Kohat, resulting in the shahadat (martyrdom) of 16 individuals and leaving over 57 others injured, according to security and rescue officials.
According to police authorities, the attack involved a vehicle packed with explosives that terrorists rammed into the perimeter of the old police lines. During the ensuing security response, one terrorist was successfully eliminated inside the compound by a sniper, after which an intense exchange of gunfire broke out between security forces and fleeing militants.
Emergency Response and Leadership Condemnations
Following the blast, law enforcement cordoned off all access roads leading to the police lines, while rescue workers rushed the wounded to nearby hospitals. Authorities confirmed that an emergency has been declared across local medical facilities to provide urgent care to the victims. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police asserted that counter-terrorism operations against Fitna al-Khawarij will continue unabated until their complete eradication.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi took strict notice of the incident, strongly condemning the terrorist attack and calling for a detailed report from police officials. Calling the targeting of innocent citizens an unacceptable act of cowardice, the Chief Minister directed hospital administrations to ensure the best possible medical treatment for all injured victims, declaring that such cowardly acts cannot break the nation’s unbreakable resolve.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also strongly condemned the Kohat explosion, expressing profound grief over the tragic loss of lives and instructing relevant authorities to submit a detailed report regarding the nature and causes of the attack.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsen Naqvi shared deep sorrow over the precious lives lost, extending heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and praying for the swift recovery of the injured. “We stand firmly with the families of the martyrs in this hour of grief, and the cowardly acts of khawarij cannot weaken our nation’s iron resolve,” Naqvi stated.