Killed officers were known for their work in tracking down members of the Pakistani Taliban and solving complex armed attacks.
A gunman shot dead two Pakistani intelligence officers outside a street restaurant in the east of the country, police and security officials said.
Murtaza Bhatti, a senior police officer in Punjab province’s Khanewal district, said Tuesday’s attack took place as the two officers parked their vehicle.
No one has claimed responsibility for the killing of officers known for arresting members of Pakistan’s Taliban and other armed groups. They were also known for their expertise in investigating and solving complicated cases, including gun and bomb attacks in Pakistan.
Officials said one of the officers killed was the director of the province’s counter-terrorism department, which played a key role in arresting members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, also known as the Pakistani Taliban.
The armed group has stepped up attacks on security forces in recent months after unilaterally ending a ceasefire with the Pakistani government in November.
The Pakistani Taliban are separate but allied with the Afghan Taliban, who took power in neighboring Afghanistan in 2021 after the withdrawal of NATO and US troops after 20 years of conflict.
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said Monday that a recent “wave of terrorist attacks” in Pakistan came from Pakistani Taliban hiding in Afghanistan. He called on Afghan Taliban rulers to prevent such fighters from using their soil for attacks in Pakistan.
On Tuesday, Afghan Taliban top spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghanistan wants good relations with all its neighboring countries, including Pakistan. He also called on Islamabad to refrain from provocative statements that could lead to distrust.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan values peace and stability in its country, it wants peace and stability for the whole region and it continues its efforts in this way,” he said.
He said the “Islamic Emirate is trying its best to ensure that the territory of Afghanistan is not used against Pakistan or any other country.”