Quetta, Jan 5 (NationPress) One individual lost their life and 16 others were injured due to an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion in the Panjgur district of Pakistan's Balochistan on Monday, as reported by local media.

The Assistant Commissioner of Panjgur, Amir Jan, confirmed that the IED was concealed within a motorcycle, with three of the injured in critical condition, according to Pakistan's prominent daily, Dawn. A vehicle belonging to the Frontier Corps, likely the intended target, was unharmed, with all personnel reported safe, local police officials stated.

A senior official from the local administration, who requested anonymity, revealed that the motorcycle containing the IED was located close to a pushcart in the main bazaar, as reported by Dawn. Another police representative suggested that the explosion was likely detonated via remote control.

This incident comes amid an uptick in assaults directed at law enforcement in Pakistan, particularly in the border regions of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Earlier that day, an IED blast aimed at a cement factory vehicle in the Lakki Marwat district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa resulted in at least one death and nine injuries, local media reported, citing police sources.

The explosion occurred along Begukhel Road near Nawarkhel Mor. The deceased was identified as Fareedullah, with the injured including Mir Ahmad, Abdul Malik, Umar Khan, Masal Khan, and Syed Jan, according to Pakistan-based Geo News. Following the blast, teams from Rescue 1122 arrived to assist the injured, transporting them to City Hospital in Lakki.

On the previous day, three police officers were killed when unidentified assailants on a motorcycle opened fire on traffic police personnel in Sarai Naurang city, Lakki Marwat, according to a police spokesperson, as reported by Geo News. The attackers managed to flee the scene.

The victims included Traffic Police In-charge Naurang Jalal Khan, Constable Azizullah, and Constable Abdullah. In response, police have launched a search operation in the vicinity and initiated an investigation.

In another incident, a police officer was killed in the Mandan area of Bannu when unidentified gunmen opened fire as he was traveling to Mandan Police Station from home.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has voiced serious concerns regarding the security and law enforcement situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province throughout 2025. The region is alarmingly unstable, experiencing frequent militant attacks.

According to a report from the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, the HRCP highlighted that there were at least 82 militant attacks in July 2025 alone, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including its former tribal districts, accounting for nearly two-thirds of these incidents. Additionally, 45 militant attacks were recorded in September 2025, resulting in 54 fatalities and 49 injuries.

Among these incidents in September, the merged districts of the province were responsible for 20 attacks, claiming 21 lives, including six Pakistani security personnel, three militants, and 12 civilians, and injuring seven.

HRCP President Mian Iftikhar Hussain stated that the security situation is notably more precarious than is often perceived. He indicated that numerous militant organizations are active not only in the merged districts but also in settled areas of the province, with the terrorist organization Daesh reportedly present.

Furthermore, the provincial president of the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP), Sikandar Sherpao, claimed that approximately 550 violent incidents have taken place since January 2025, mostly in the merged districts. He emphasized that while genuine militant actors are operating in the area, they are now accompanied by copycat groups and hardened criminal networks, exacerbating law and order challenges.