After a quick and proactive response based on thermal surveillance, police officers stopped a terrorist attack on the Gambila Police Station in Lakki Marwat on Saturday night, forcing the attackers to escape.
Police sources said that security guards keeping an eye on thermal cameras spotted suspicious activity close to the police station and quickly opened fire, stopping the terrorists from establishing their positions. There were no reported casualties among the security guards.
Zulfiqar Hameed, Inspector General of Police Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and RPO Bannu praised the Lakki Marwat police for their alertness, bravery, and prompt response that prevented a potentially fatal attack.
According to a police spokesperson, an investigation has been opened, and search efforts are underway in the surrounding areas to find any potential hiding places and apprehend the escaping terrorists.
The country has recently seen an increase in militant activity, which coincides with this intended attack.
Following a wave of militant strikes on passenger buses in the province, nine bodies of abducted bus passengers were found earlier that day in the hilly area of Balochistan.
Balochistan government spokesman Shahid Rind said the victims, labourers in two buses, were kidnapped Thursday night and later discovered shot dead.
The victims were accused of spying for Pakistani intelligence services by the outlawed Baloch Liberation Front (BLF), which took responsibility for the murders.
Rind blamed India of encouraging such extremist actions and said security forces had stopped three previous attacks earlier that day.
Law enforcement organisations are alarmed by the increase in violence, particularly in light of Pakistan’s recent military actions along its eastern and western borders.
The military leadership of Pakistan pledged “holistic action at all levels” to protect national security during a high-level meeting on Friday, reaffirming its resolve to take strong action against terror groups and foreign-backed proxies operating within Pakistan.
