A deputy superintendent of police (DSP) and a constable were martyred on Friday night when unknown attackers opened fire on their vehicle in Lakki Marwat, an official said on Saturday.
DSP Gul Muhammad and Constable Nadeem Gul had set up a temporary checkpoint at the Manjiwala Chowk near the Indus Highway when unknown assailants opened fire on their vehicle, killing both, according to Bannu police spokesperson Bashir Khan.
The bodies were shifted to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in the Sarai Naurang district of Lakki Marwat.
That same night, in a separate incident in the Sara Darga district of Lakki Marwat, Constable Sanamat Khan was martyred when unknown assailants opened fire at him near his house. He was stationed in Miranshah, North Waziristan and had returned home on leave.
The assailants in both incidents are at large.
On Saturday morning, funeral prayers for the martyred police officials were held with official honours at Iqbal Shaheed Police Line in Bannu.
District Police Officer (DPO) Bannu Ziauddin Ahmed, DPO Lakki Marwat Taimur Khan, SP Operation Bannu Sanaullah and army officers laid flower wreaths on the coffins of the martyred and prayed for them.
DPO Ahmed praised the martyrs as being brave, dutiful and noble, adding that the Bannu police stand with the bereaved families in their hour of grief.
“We are proud of such young people who died fighting bravely,” he said.
“The blood of the martyrs will not go in vain,” DPO Ahmed said, adding that “terrorists will not demoralise us with cowardly acts.”
DPO Khan said police forces have, in the past, sacrificed their lives for the country, which the entire nation values.
The attacks are the latest in a series of incidents targeting police officials in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
On Tuesday, six policemen were injured when unknown miscreants attacked them in the Township area of Bannu.
In March, two traffic police constables were martyred when unknown motorcyclists opened fire on them in Darra Pezu town in Lakki Marwat.