An assistant in charge of a bomb disposal unit was martyred following an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion in the Janta area of Sararogha tehsil, Upper South Waziristan, on Saturday.
South Waziristan Upper District Police Officer (DPO) Ashfaq Khan told The Express Tribune that the deceased official was identified as Abdul Jabbar. Khan stated that Jabbar was engaged in a bomb disposal operation when the explosion occurred, leaving him seriously injured before he succumbed to his wounds.
According to Khan, Jabbar had successfully defused one IED planted in the area before the explosion. However, a second explosive device went off while he was attempting to neutralize it. The DPO stated the second device was suspected to have been planted by terrorists to target the bomb disposal squad, though the circumstances surrounding the incident are still being investigated.
Following the blast, the Sararogha Station House Officer (SHO) and a police contingent arrived at the scene. The team inspected the area, collected evidence, and launched an investigation. Khan noted that an initial report was entered in the daily station diary, and the case was referred to the counter-terrorism department (CTD) for a formal first information report (FIR) and legal proceedings.
The incident occurred during a period of persistent terrorist attacks in Upper and Lower South Waziristan over the last two years. Police, security forces, and civilians have faced increasing attacks in both districts, which has raised serious concerns regarding the deteriorating law and order situation. The death of Jabbar highlights the risks faced by personnel defusing explosives in these terrorist-hit tribal districts.
