Terror mars Pakistan's election process as 4 policemen martyred in DI Khan

• Militants attack police vehicle with grenade. 
• One policeman in critical condition after attack.
• Interior Ministry suspended mobile services today.

DI KHAN: At least four policemen were martyred in a terrorist attack in Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Thursday as the country undergoes a polling process for the 2024 general elections, Geo News reported.

According to the police, the militants attacked the police vehicle with a grenade in the Kulachi Tehsil, injuring three other policemen with one of them in critical condition. 

Earlier in the morning, the Ministry of Interior suspended cellular services "temporarily" across Pakistan as part of security measures as the nation votes today in the general elections.

An interior ministry's spokesperson said that precious lives were lost in recent incidents of terrorism in the country in the run-up to the general elections.

Meanwhile, two Levies personnel sustained injuries in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Balochistan's Gwadar. 

The blast took place at Sariab Road in Quetta, however, no loss of life has been reported, said the police.

On February 5, at least 10 policemen were martyred and six others injured in a late-night attack on a police station in DI Khan. 

Police said terrorists attacked the police station with heavy weapons at 3am in Tehsil Daraban of the district. The terrorists attacked the police station from all sides with grenades and heavy gunfire.

The police also retaliated, but the terrorists escaped in the darkness of the night, the law enforcement agency added.

According to the statistics issued by the Department of Interior and Tribal Affairs KP, the areas most affected by terrorism include Peshawar, Khyber, Bajaur, and Tank while DI Khan and North Waziristan and South Waziristan are included in the terror-affected areas.

The documents of the Home and Tribal areas revealed that a total of 1,050 incidents of terrorism took place in KP last year while 419 incidents of terrorism took place in the arranged districts, and 631 incidents in the merged districts.