The attack took place during Friday prayers in Kohat district. Provincial police chief Zulfiqar Hameed told reporters that a suicide bomber drove a vehicle packed with explosives into the outer wall of the police compound.
The dead included five police officers and 11 civilians, while hospital director Tahir Ali Shah said the facility had admitted more than 50 people injured in the attack.
Following the explosion, several gunmen tried to enter the compound and exchanged fire with security forces. Authorities are investigating the incident.
No individual or group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. The bombing comes amid ongoing security concerns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province bordering Afghanistan.
