Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi strongly condemned the deadly attack at the Old Police Lines in Kohat on Friday, September 18, 2026, and directed provincial authorities to provide immediate medical assistance to those injured.
According to officials cited by Reuters, at least 16 people were killed and 57 others injured after an explosives-laden vehicle struck the police compound during Friday prayers. Five police personnel were among those killed. Authorities said armed attackers also entered the compound following the explosion, triggering a security operation.
CM Sohail Afridi Seeks Report From Police
Following the incident, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi sought a detailed report from police authorities and instructed officials to ensure that all available resources were used for the treatment of injured people.
The chief minister also directed hospitals to provide necessary medical facilities and ordered arrangements for critically injured patients to be transferred to other medical centres if required. He described the attack as a serious act of terrorism and condemned the targeting of civilians.
Afridi said such attacks would not weaken the country’s resolve against terrorism. Provincial Information Minister Shafi Jan also said an emergency had been declared in hospitals in Kohat following the incident.
Security Situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
The Kohat attack comes amid renewed security concerns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A day earlier, six Pakistani soldiers were killed in a roadside bombing in Hangu district, while security forces reported killing 10 militants during operations in Hangu and North Waziristan.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the Kohat attack. Reuters reported that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan publicly denied involvement. Pakistani authorities have repeatedly accused militants of using sanctuaries across the Afghan border, while Afghanistan’s Taliban government has rejected such allegations.
Sohail Afridi Also Active in PTI Political Campaign
The security development comes during a period of increased political activity by CM Sohail Afridi. On September 17, Afridi challenged the PML-N to hold competing public rallies in Punjab under what he described as equal conditions, saying public participation should be used to demonstrate the parties’ support. The proposed rally challenge has not itself determined or verified the relative popularity of either party.
Afridi has also recently been campaigning in Punjab as PTI prepares for its planned September 27 protest mobilisation. His Lahore visit earlier this week led to competing allegations between PTI and the Punjab government over police actions and the detention of party workers. Afridi claimed authorities had abducted him during the visit, while Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari denied that account and said he had voluntarily entered a police vehicle.
Legal Developments
Separately, the Federal Constitutional Court issued a notice to Sohail Afridi earlier this week in a petition filed by Sher Afzal Marwat challenging the process that led to Afridi becoming chief minister following former CM Ali Amin Gandapur’s resignation. The matter is expected to be taken up again in the second week of October. The issuance of a notice does not itself determine the merits of the petition.
Conclusion
The Kohat Police Lines attack has brought security challenges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa back into focus. CM Sohail Afridi has ordered immediate medical assistance for victims and requested a detailed police report, while his administration faces the task of responding to security threats alongside ongoing provincial governance and political activity.
