On Friday, October 24, 2025, the city of Hangu in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was rocked by a deadly double bombing that targeted local police forces, marking one of the latest and most severe attacks in a region long troubled by insurgency. The blasts, which occurred near the Afghan border, claimed the lives of three police officers—including Superintendent of Police (Operations) Asad Zubair—and left at least one other officer injured, according to multiple news agencies including AP, Arab News, and Al-Masirah.
The assault began in the early hours of Friday, when unidentified militants detonated explosives near the Ghulamiana checkpoint, a key security post in Hangu district. While the initial explosion damaged the facility, no immediate casualties were reported. However, the situation took a deadly turn less than an hour later. As a police team led by SP Asad Zubair arrived to investigate the scene, their vehicle was struck by a second, more powerful bomb. The blast killed all three officers instantly, leaving the local police force and community reeling from the loss.
"The police party, headed by the Superintendent of Police, reached the scene when their vehicle hit a planted bomb, leaving all three police officials martyred on the spot," Hangu police spokesman Saqib Khan told Arab News. He added, "One constable suffered injuries." Reinforcements were quickly dispatched, with the bodies of the fallen officers transported to a local hospital for post-mortem examinations.
Security forces responded swiftly. According to Saqib Khan, after an intense 30-minute gunbattle in the nearby mountains, two militants were killed and their bodies recovered. "The identification process is currently underway," he said, underscoring the ongoing efforts to bring those responsible to justice.
The attack comes amid a troubling surge in militant violence in Pakistan’s northwest, a trend officials blame on cross-border sanctuaries in Afghanistan. Since the Taliban regained power in Kabul in August 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces, Pakistani authorities say groups like the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have found refuge across the border. The TTP, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, is a separate entity from Afghanistan’s Taliban but maintains close ties and frequently targets security forces and civilians in Pakistan.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi was quick to condemn Friday’s attacks, laying blame squarely on the Pakistani Taliban. "Such cowardly attacks cannot dampen the morale of our police and Counter-Terrorism Department," Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi declared in a statement to the press, as reported by Arab News. "The sacrifices of the martyred officers will not go in vain. All resources will be used to restore peace." Afridi also called for an immediate report from the provincial police chief on the incident.
Friday’s violence did not end in Hangu. In a separate operation the same day, Pakistani security forces raided a militant hideout in the northwestern Tank district, resulting in the deaths of eight Pakistani Taliban militants, according to a military statement cited by AP. These operations underscore the ongoing battle between Pakistani authorities and insurgent groups, a conflict that has only intensified in recent months.
The timing of the attacks is particularly significant. They occurred just one day before Pakistan and Afghanistan were scheduled to hold a second round of peace talks in Istanbul on October 25, 2025. The talks, brokered by Qatar and Turkey, follow an initial meeting in Doha on October 19 and come on the heels of deadly border clashes that left dozens dead on both sides. The clashes led to a temporary ceasefire that, for now, remains in place.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, emphasized the urgency and stakes of the ongoing diplomatic efforts. "We are not asking for the moon, we are just asking to end cross-border terrorism," Andrabi told a news conference, as reported by AP. He noted that the recent talks in Doha focused on ways to immediately halt cross-border violence, while the upcoming Istanbul meeting aims to establish "a concrete and verifiable monitoring mechanism."
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan remain tense. Pakistan accuses Kabul of allowing Pakistani Taliban militants to use Afghan territory as a base for cross-border attacks, a charge that Afghan authorities deny. Kabul insists it does not permit its soil to be used against neighboring countries and characterizes the violence as Pakistan’s internal security issue.
The impact of the ongoing conflict extends beyond security concerns. All border crossings between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been closed since October 13, 2025, following the deadly clashes. This closure has severely affected trade between the two countries. "When armed attacks take place along these trading points, killing Pakistanis, then the lives of our people are more important than any commodity trade," Andrabi said, reflecting the government’s prioritization of security over economic concerns.
The border itself—the 2,611-kilometer (1,622-mile) Durand Line—remains a contentious issue. Afghanistan has never formally recognized the border, contributing to longstanding tensions and complicating efforts to manage cross-border movement and security. The region’s mountainous terrain and porous boundaries have historically provided cover for militant groups, making enforcement and monitoring a persistent challenge for both governments.
Elsewhere in Pakistan, violence and instability continue to pose grave risks. In the southwestern province of Balochistan, insurgents kidnapped 13 construction workers in the Khuzdar district on the same day as the Hangu attacks, according to local police officials cited by AP. Such incidents highlight the multifaceted nature of the security crisis facing Pakistan, where ethnic, sectarian, and separatist violence often intersect with religious militancy.
As the country mourns the loss of its police officers in Hangu, the broader struggle against militancy and cross-border violence shows no sign of abating. The government’s resolve to combat these threats remains strong, but the path to lasting peace is fraught with challenges—political, diplomatic, and military alike.
With peace talks on the horizon and security forces on high alert, the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the nation at large await concrete progress. For now, the memory of those lost in Hangu stands as a somber reminder of the human cost of conflict and the urgent need for solutions that address both immediate dangers and the deeper roots of instability in the region.
