The gunmen burst into a police vehicle in Wazirabad Bazaar, Tank district, at about 10 a.m., firing indiscriminately and leaving a trail of shattered glass and blood. Three officers were killed on the spot, while three others suffered gunshot wounds and were rushed to a nearby clinic.
A local police official, Jamshed Khan, confirmed the assailants fled on motorcycles within minutes of the exchange. An ambulance that arrived moments later also came under fire, further complicating the emergency response.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban government of providing safe havens to the Tehrik‑e‑Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a claim that Kabul denies outright. The attack follows a suicide bombing in Dera Ismail Khan two days earlier that killed 13 civilians and wounded more than 30, an assault the TTP later claimed responsibility for.
Authorities are conducting a forensic investigation at the scene, and security forces have heightened patrols across the province. The National Police Service has issued a warning to all traffic units to remain vigilant amid a surge in militant activity.