Gunmen kill police officer in Balochistan’s Panjgur during patrol

A police sub-inspector was killed late Sunday after gunmen opened fire on a police patrol in Panjgur’s Chitkan Bazaar, officials confirmed.

Sub-Inspector Shakeel Ahmed was fatally wounded in the attack, which occurred while his unit was on a routine patrol, authorities said.

The gunmen fled the scene before additional police reinforcements arrived.

The body of the slain officer was taken to a nearby hospital, and forensic teams have started collecting evidence from the site.

The investigation is underway.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack, offering condolences to the officer’s family.

"Sub-Inspector Shakeel Ahmed’s sacrifice in the line of duty will not be forgotten. Our thoughts are with his family," he said in a statement.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the assault. Panjgur, located in Balochistan province, has witnessed sporadic violence in recent years, with attacks often targeting security forces.

Last month, Balochistan was rocked by a series of terrorist attacks on August 26, leaving over 50 people, including security officials martyred.

The outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) took responsibility for the coordinated attacks in 10 districts.

The province has been facing a law and order situation for many decades but this was the deadliest attack in recent years.

Following the incident, the federal government along with stakeholders reviewed the security situation and discussed the response.

According to a sources, the government decided to give special powers to the law-enforcement authorities, including the army, to make preventive detention of terror suspects for three months without FIR or court orders.