Pakistani policeman killed in Dera Ismail Khan after unidentified assailants opened fire

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], October 21 (ANI): One Pakistani police constable was killed on Thursday, after unidentified assailants opened fire on him in Dera Ismail Khan district, the Dawn reported on Friday.
As per the police, constable Mohammad Aslam, who was on the way for security duty at the Benazir Income Support Programme, was attacked. The unidentified assailants also took away the official gun of Aslam before escaping. Mohammad Aslam was serving at the Prova Police Station.
DSP Abid Iqbal along with his team reached the site after receiving the information. The case was registered against the unknown terrorists and search for the attackers was started, reported Dawn.
Earlier in September, another Pakistani policeman was killed in Dera Ismail Khan district after unknown assailants opened fire at him when he was going to duty, as reported by the local media.
In August, a Pakistani official confirmed that as many as 63 cops have lost their lives in target killings and other attacks in 2022, the highest since 2016.
"As many as 63 policemen have fallen victim to target killings as well as other attacks during the current year," an official confirmed.
The majority of the attacks took place in the Dera Ismail Khan region, followed by Bannu, Peshawar and Mardan divisions. At least, 36 policemen were killed in 2017, 30 in 2018, 38 in 2019, 28 in 2020 and 59 in 2021, the News International reported.
In late 2021, the attacks have increased. Mostly cops were hit by target killers.
According to the publication, the government and the force need to take concrete actions to protect the lives of the cops as well as the general public in future.
Apart from target killings by the armed attackers, a number of police stations, posts and vans have been attacked with grenades in the last several months. (ANI)