PESHAWAR: In a violent escalation of attacks in the country, terrorists opened fire on the Machni Gate police station in the outskirts of Peshawar during the early hours of Saturday.
The attack resulted in the martyrdom of a police officer, yet another casualty as security forces tackle sudden spike in terrorism across Pakistan.
Read more: Bomb blast at mosque in South Waziristan, several injured
According to police report, the attack was met with immediate retaliatory fire, forcing the assailants to flee the scene. Authorities have since launched a large-scale search operation in the vicinity to apprehend the attackers and restore order.
The incident marks a troubling trend of increased violence against security forces in Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
The latest attack follows a series of terrorist attacks that have plagued western Pakistan this week. A day earlier, a bomb blast occurred at a mosque in the Azam Warsak area of South Waziristan during Friday prayers.
Several people were injured, including the district amir of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI). Initial reports indicated that blast caused significant panic among the worshippers and raised concerns about the safety of public gatherings in the remote region.
On March 11, the Jaffar Express train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar was hijacked by the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
The attackers detonated explosives in tunnels and on the train tracks, halting the train in a mountainous terrain that complicated rescue efforts.
The BLA issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding the release of Baloch political prisoners, threatening to execute hostages if their demands were not met.
Read more: Jaffar Express: martyrs’ families to get Rs5.2m, railway jobs
While a counter-operation was launched, a reported 64 people were killed, including 18 soldiers and 33 attackers.
The BLA has since claimed that the violence will continue.