A roadside improvised explosive device tore through a police van near Pir Zakori Bridge on Sunday afternoon, leaving two officers with minor injuries and marking yet another strike in a month that has seen a sharp escalation in attacks on security forces across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Main Developments Constables Haider Ali and Yousaf were inside the van when the bomb detonated close to the Peshawar-Islamabad motorway toll plaza. The driver and a constable sustained scratches, while the vehicle suffered visible damage, according to city police spokesperson Alam Khan. Both injured personnel were taken to hospital, where Peshawar Capital City Police Officer Dr Mian Saeed Ahmed later visited them. The officers were reported stable, with the senior superintendent of police, Farhan Khan, confirming the device had been planted in the green belt alongside the vehicle. Read also: Broad Peak Tragedy: Nirmal Purja's Body Found, 4 Recovered The bomb disposal unit arrived promptly and began sweeping the green belt for additional explosives. The quick response and the nature of the injuries suggest the attack was designed to inflict casualties rather than cause maximum destruction. Background Sunday's blast follows a devastating assault on a checkpost in Hangu district days earlier, where nine police personnel including a deputy superintendent were martyred and 28 others injured. That incident ranks among the deadliest recent attacks on law enforcement in the region. Violence has been climbing steadily. The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies recorded at least 112 security personnel killed in July, the highest monthly toll since January 2023 and the second-highest in over a decade. Mainland KP, excluding merged districts, saw deaths jump from 75 in June to 154 in July, a 105 per cent increase. Security force fatalities in mainland KP rose from 12 to 38 in the same period, while terrorist deaths surged 192 per cent from 37 to 108. A late-July operation in Swat's Kabal and Matta tehsils killed six terrorists but also claimed the lives of one policeman and four village defence committee members. Why It Matters The targeting of a police van on a busy motorway corridor underscores how militants are expanding their operational reach beyond checkposts into civilian infrastructure. Each attack erodes public confidence in the state's ability to protect its personnel and citizens alike. The mounting casualty figures reveal a deteriorating security environment that demands a strategic reassessment. Police remain the primary target, absorbing losses that are straining an already overstretched force. What's Next The bomb disposal unit's ongoing sweep of the green belt will determine whether more devices were planted in the area. Authorities are expected to investigate how the explosive was placed without detection near a major toll plaza. With monthly casualty numbers trending sharply upward, pressure is mounting on security leadership to adapt counter-terrorism tactics. The coming weeks will show whether the recent surge represents a sustained campaign or a temporary spike in violence.