Unidentified gunmen opened fire on the home of Pakistani journalist Ihsan Khattak in Bannu district, raising fresh concerns about the safety of media professionals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The attack took place on the night of February 12, shortly after Khattak returned to his residence in Kotka Jandar Khel village. According to local reports and a police complaint, several shots were fired at the main gate of his house before the attackers fled. Khattak was not injured.
Khattak, a correspondent for ARY News and former president of the Bannu Press Club, has reportedly faced threats in the past. Earlier this month, on February 5, he said he was followed by three armed men on a motorcycle while returning from a reporting assignment. He managed to escape safely.
Police later issued a security advisory recommending that Khattak take additional precautionary measures. Authorities have confirmed that an investigation into the shooting is underway.
Khattak had previously moved to Islamabad in 2017 after receiving threats from an unknown caller. He returned to Bannu in 2023, but according to him, the intimidation resumed after his return.
The incident once again highlights the risks faced by journalists working in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where threats and acts of intimidation remain a serious concern.