Over 1,500 incidents reported by 2025; 420 terrorists killed as police implement advanced technology
PESHAWAR:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa saw a significant increase in terrorism during 2025, with over 500 reported attacks, marking a 50 percent increase compared to the previous year.
According to a detailed security assessment obtained by The Express Pakinomist, the province faced 1,588 terror-related incidents, reflecting a rapidly escalating militant threat across both settled regions and tribal areas. Despite the increase in attacks, security forces managed to prevent 320 major attacks, while 137 police officers and personnel lost their lives in the line of duty.
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) report highlights that joint operations by the KP Police, CTD and security agencies led to the arrest of 1,244 suspected terrorists, while 420 high-profile militants were neutralized in intelligence-based operations.
Districts such as Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, Hangu and Peshawar remained the most frequent targets, with a noticeable pattern of attacks planned and carried out from across the Afghan border.
Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed, in an interview with The Express Pakinomist, acknowledged the rise in attacks on the police but noted that the number of police casualties had decreased compared to last year. He stressed that advanced technologies, including anti-drone systems and thermal imaging, enabled counter-terrorism teams to stay ahead of the militants’ changing tactics.
According to the IGP, weapons once used by NATO forces in Afghanistan are now being found in the possession of terrorists operating in KP’s tribal belt and southern districts. Still, he stressed that the police remained firmly on the front line and set new benchmarks in the fight against terrorism.
In a significant development, the federal government approved a historic Rs1 billion package for policing in the merged tribal districts. This funding will support the construction of police lines, new police stations and the purchase of bulletproof vehicles and jackets, marking the first significant investment in the region’s security apparatus. The IGP said this upgraded infrastructure will strengthen police capacity in areas adjacent to the Afghan border where militant infiltration remains a persistent challenge. He added that militants tried to set up illegal checkpoints on highways in DI Khan and parts of Bannu earlier this year, but the state’s authority has since been fully restored.
The CTD report also points to a 56 percent increase in attacks targeting police personnel, rising from 327 in 2024 to 510 in 2025. During the year, security agencies conducted 2,791 search-and-raid operations and uncovered 25 high-value foreign terrorists linked to global militant networks. Meanwhile, extortion rackets operating in Peshawar and other districts were systematically dismantled.
Peshawar Capital City Police Officer Dr. Mian Saeed confirmed that the notorious Lali Group, which was wanted in nearly 30 criminal cases, had been eliminated in a recent police operation.
