Custom officials killed in ambush in DI Khan

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: At least seven people lost their lives when unidentified assailants opened fire on a vehicle transporting Pakistan Customs officials in Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Thursday.

According to the local police, the customs officials were conducting routine patrols when they were ambushed by armed gunmen, who then managed to flee the scene.

Read more: Customs officials open fire in pursuit of non-custom paid vehicle

As per sources, at least seven lives were lost, including six custom officials and a passerby.

As of now, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The motive behind the attack could not be ascertained, as well.

The law enforcement agencies are currently investigating the incident.

In response to the attack, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan Ayaz Sadiq and Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa extended condolences to the affected families. They condemned the terrorist acts as “severe crime” against the nation and pledged to pursue the perpetrators.

Similarly, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur denounced the attack and called for “concerted efforts” to combat terrorism and uphold law and order in the country.

The latest attack adds to a series of terrorist attacks in Pakistan in recent months, many of which have been attributed to outlawed groups such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

In March, five Chinese nationals lost their lives in a terrorist attack in Bisham, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The engineers lost their lives in an explosion caused by a suicide bomber who targeted a Chinese convoy with a vehicle filled with explosives.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Read more: Punjab to acquire 37 bulletproof vehicles for Chinese engineers

The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan is largely traced back to 2007 when various militant factions united under its banner to oppose the Pakistani state and its security apparatus. Since its inception, the group has engaged in a range of violent activities, including suicide bombings, assassinations, and ambushes.

Despite facing significant pressure from Pakistani security forces, the TTP has persisted in carrying out attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Reports suggest that the group maintains sanctuaries and receives support from elements within Afghanistan. However, the unrecognised Afghan government denies any official involvement in backing the TTP.