rotest demonstrations by policemen erupted recently in several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Beginning in the southern district of Lakki Marwat, these quickly spread to Bannu and, later, to Bajaur. This was the first time members of the provincial police force had taken to the streets in such a way.

In the first reported incident, some policemen blocked the main Indus Highway for three days and asked officers from neighbouring districts to join their movement. This later turned into a four-day-long protest demonstration in Lakki Marwat that concluded on September 13. The police in the southern district demanded that the administration of Lakki Marwat be handed over to them. The protesters promised to “restore peace in the district within three months“ should they be allowed to administer the district. They also demanded the withdrawal of other security forces from the district.

The protest in Bajaur district was sparked by the killing of a polio vaccinator and a policeman who was providing security for the anti-polio vaccination team in the Salarzai area, which borders Afghanistan. Al-Azam Media, a platform used by militants affiliated with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack.

Talking to Geo News, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Inspector General Akhtar Hayat Khan Gandapur said that the protests were initially triggered by the killing of three police officers in Lakki Marwat. “These officers were killed following an intelligence-based operation targeting Maulvi Ghulam, the right-hand man of Tipu Gul Marwat, the local TTP commander,” he said. Ghulam was killed in the operation.

Militants confirmed on their social media platforms that Ghulam had been a prominent TTP commander who had fought in Afghanistan and Pakistan for at least 10 years. They also identified him as the mastermind behind the suicide bombing in Peshawar’s Hayatabad area to destroy a Frontier Constabulary vehicle on July 18, 2023. At least eight people were injured in the attack.

According to the IGP, following Ghulam’s death, Tipu Gul Marwat issued threats to the Lakki Marwat police. 10 days later, three police officers were killed in separate incidents in the district. “The ongoing IBOs have targeted several high-ranking TTP militants, including shadow governors like Saleem Rabbani, Bali Kaira, Mohsin Qadir and Abd-ur Raheem, all of whom were all killed in operations near Peshawar. Wali Ullah, the brother-in-law of Tipu Gul Marwat, was killed in the Gambeela area of Lakki Marwat.”

Amidst the police protests, the militants continued to target law enforcement. On September 12, a police constable, Hikmat Ullah, was killed in an ambush in the Tetarkhail area of Lakki Marwat. A day earlier, on September 11, another police officer had been killed in Bajaur while accompanying a polio vaccination team. Additionally, on September 12, the hujra of Inspector Ghulam Muhammad, who was leading the police protests in the Mandrakhail area of Lakki Marwat, was attacked with explosives.

IG Akhtar Hayat said some opportunists had tried to disrupt the cooperation between the police and other security forces. “Their purpose is to put a dent in the collaborative effort between security forces and police.”

The IGP said that militancy had surged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in the southern districts, following the change in regime in Kabul. “Over the past year, police have neutralised 272 terrorists. Another 177 terrorists have been eliminated this year. He emphasised the cooperation between the police and other security forces, attributing recent successes in counterterrorism to their collaboration. However, he also acknowledged that 85 police officers had been martyred in the ongoing fight against militancy.

The IGP said some opportunists were trying to disrupt the cooperation between the police and other security forces. “Their purpose is to put a dent in the collaborative effort between other security forces and the police.” The IG and other officers have reiterated that the militants are using increasingly sophisticated weapons against law enforcement.

A militant faction known as Dalgi, which shares some of the TTP objecties, has become more active recently, launching attacks on police and security officials. The IGP confirmed to this scribe that the activation of Taliban groups, particularly in the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,has increased. According to data from the Central Police Office, approximately 127,000 police officers are serving in the province. A TTP source, who requested anonymity, said three were around 400 Dalgi militants currently active in Pakistan.

Data shared by the Central Police Office shows that more than 2,080 police personnel have been killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since 1970. To combat the rising militancy, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police have expanded the Counter Terrorism Department stations to the tribal districts.

The security situation in the southern districts has worsened. The militants have been frequently targeting police. Efforts are under way therefore to strengthen the police force. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police have approved a plan to recruit at least 1,757 new personnel. The recruitment is expected to begin soon. In addition, 36 vehicles, 12 armoured personnel carriers, 100 motorcycles and 7 trucks have been provided to police forces in the southern districts.

The writer, a journalist, has covered militancy and crime in northwest Pakistan for nearly two decades. He tweets at @RasoolDawar