What happened
A high-profile terrorist commander linked to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group was killed during a joint operation conducted by security forces and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in the Walai Sagai area of Lakki Marwat, according to Dawn. The CTD identified the operative as Zahid Gul, describing him as the primary mastermind behind a major suicide assault on the old Kohat Police Lines.
Key facts
According to statements released by the CTD, several details regarding the slain commander's operations were disclosed:
- Zahid Gul led the explosive-laden vehicle used during the September 18 attack on the Kohat Police Lines, where a mosque explosion and compound raid resulted in the deaths of 17 police officers and six civilians.
- Eight militants were killed by security personnel in an overnight clearance operation following the September 18 assault.
- Gul was involved in a bank heist in Kohat's Balitang area where Rs6 million was stolen and subsequently shared among militant groups in Bannu's Bakakhel and Janikhel regions.
- Authorities stated that two months ago, Gul brought a suicide bomber to target the new Kohat Police Lines, though the plot was foiled.
- He was also plotting attacks on a Pakistan Air Force facility and a police training school in Kohat, while other operatives from his network are currently in custody.
Why it matters
Dawn reported that the operation comes amid a surge in militant activity across the region. A report from the Centre for Research and Security Studies recorded an 83 percent increase in violence-related fatalities during the third quarter of 2026, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan accounting for 98 percent of the deaths nationwide. The targeted killing follows several recent incidents, including an October 7 attack on a Kohat police checkpost that left seven officers injured, alongside multiple deadly attacks in Dera Ismail Khan.
Source: Dawn - Home · Published October 16, 2026 · Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash