Three people, including two Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) police officers, were killed early Sunday in a gun attack on an Excise Department patrol in the Pabbi area of Nowshera district.
The shooting occurred around 2am when unidentified assailants in a white double-cabin vehicle opened fire after being signalled to stop.
Constables Mujahid Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed were killed on the spot, while Sub-Inspector Farooq Bacha sustained multiple gunshot wounds. His driver was also fatally shot.
Bacha was transferred to Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar in critical condition, according to authorities.
Funeral prayers for the slain officers were held later in the morning at Police Lines, attended by K-P police chief Qasim Khan and senior excise officials.
Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur condemned the attack and promised full support for the victims’ families.
“Justice will be served,” he said, directing authorities to swiftly apprehend the culprits.
The K-P chief secretary also sought a detailed report, noting that the excise officials had been actively involved in counter-smuggling operations.
“Their sacrifices will not go in vain,” he said, vowing to expand the crackdown on narcotics and illicit trade.
The assault comes amid a surge in violence targeting security forces in K-P. Just a day earlier, District Police Officer Shah Hassan survived a remote-controlled IED blast in Shangla.
