Peshawar, February 25: Recent days have seen a spike in attacks targeting the Pakistani army and police. On Tuesday, multiple assaults resulted in the deaths of approximately seven police officers. Officials reported that a suicide bombing at a security checkpoint in Bhakkar district of Punjab province claimed the lives of several officers. Following this incident, all traffic between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab has been completely halted, causing significant distress for local traders during the month of Ramadan.
According to the prominent daily Dawn, the attack occurred late Tuesday night near the Dera Darya Khan Bridge at the Dazil checkpoint in Bhakkar district. The main highway linking Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Punjab remained closed on Wednesday, complicating travel for individuals and traders on both sides of the inter-provincial border.
The assault took place around 7 PM when a suicide bomber detonated explosives near the checkpoint, located a short distance from the bridge connecting Dera Ismail Khan to Punjab. CCTV footage reportedly captured the attacker approaching the post before the explosion.
In response to the attack, security measures in both Dera Ismail Khan and Bhakkar districts were heightened. The Punjab police sealed off the road near the Dera Darya Khan Bridge as a precaution and halted all traffic, initiating search operations in surrounding areas. The ongoing closure of this route has caused considerable inconvenience for travelers and transporters, with vehicles stuck for hours and passengers forced to seek alternative routes at higher costs.
This disruption comes on the heels of recent PTI protests that had already blocked this route for several days, impacting the movement of goods and people.
Traders in Dera Ismail Khan reported that repeated closures have disrupted supply lines from Punjab, particularly affecting Lahore and other major commercial centers. Sohail Ahmed Azmi, President of the Central Anjuman-e-Tajiran, told Dawn that the prolonged traffic stoppage is exacerbating difficulties for the business community. He warned that with Ramadan underway and Eid al-Fitr approaching, further delays in transporting goods from Punjab could lead to financial losses and shortages in local markets.
Last year, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa experienced a rise in terrorist attacks, as confirmed by the Center for Research and Security Studies’ annual security report. The report indicated a significant increase in violence in the region, with the number of fatalities rising from 1,620 in 2024 to 2,331 in 2025.
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