The Minister of the Interior condemns the “cowardly” attack which left seven dead in the strategic corner of Bannu
A policeman stands guard on a street with damaged shops in the background in Bannu Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Photo: AFP
Seven people were killed and another injured when gunmen belonging to the banned group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacked a peace committee office in Haved Daradariz area of Bannu, police said on Friday.
The incident occurred late at night when militants stormed the residence and office of peace committee commander Qari Jalil. Jalil was not present at the scene during the assault and remained unharmed.
The police registered a case regarding the complaint of a citizen, Abdullah, under sections 302 (murder), 324 (attempt to murder), 148 (riot, armed with deadly weapon) and 149 (any member of unlawful assembly guilty of an offense committed in pursuit of common object) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The first information report (FIR) named TTP activists Haroon, Shakir Gul Andaz and several other armed accomplices. Two teenagers, Nauman, 14, and Muhammad, 15, recorded statements confirming the identity of the attackers.
The shooting left victims identified as Usama, Faizan, Kamran, Niaz, Wali and Imdad. One of the injured died after being taken to hospital.
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The attack highlights the deteriorating security situation in Haved Daradariz, a town on the volatile southern outskirts of Bannu. The area constitutes a critical geographical wedge between the agricultural plains of the settled district and the rugged tribal foothills of North Waziristan.
Due to its proximity to the porous border, Haved has always functioned as a strategic transit route. However, by the end of 2025, the area had transformed into a main theater of counterterrorism activities, transforming from a quiet hinterland to a hotbed of violence.
The locality remains under close security surveillance following major cordon and search operations carried out in August and November. These intelligence-based operations (IBOs) targeted hideouts used by militant facilitators to launch attacks on local police infrastructure and stage cross-border incursions.
Learn more: KP forces kill five terrorists in Bannu, Lakki Marwat raid
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly condemned the incident, expressing deep sadness over the loss of lives.
“This cowardly terrorist act is a malicious attempt to undermine peace and stability,” Naqvi said. Terming the attackers as “Fitna-ul-Khawarij”, he said such actions could not shake the high morale of the people.
“The nation and the State are united against the enemies of peace,” he said.
