Peshawar, October 17, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Police foiled an attack by Fitna al-Khawarij militants on the Spin Mela police post in Hassan Khel, Peshawar, while a police constable embraced martyrdom during the incident. Several militants were reportedly injured in the retaliatory action. In a separate development, a major tragedy was averted in Peshawar’s densely populated Yakatoot area after police and the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) defused an 11-kilogram pressure-cooker bomb. According to reports, the suspicious device was discovered inside a house in Hafizabad that had remained closed before being rented to an Afghan family five to six months ago. The house was opened for construction work when the bomb was found, prompting an immediate response by Yakatoot police and the BDS team, which successfully neutralised the device. Meanwhile, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Lakki Marwat, in coordination with security forces, conducted a successful joint intelligence-based operation in FR Lakki Marwat, killing Zahid Gul, an alleged militant mastermind behind the attack on Kohat Police Lines. According to the CTD, Zahid Gul was wanted in several serious terrorist incidents and was also allegedly involved in a bank robbery in Bilitang in which Rs6 million was looted. The department said the stolen money was distributed among militant groups operating in Baka Khel and Jani Khel in Bannu. The deceased militant was reportedly in close contact with the Gul Bahadur group and had allegedly facilitated the transportation of several suicide bombers to Kohat, according to the CTD Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.