<\/p>\n
Three policemen were martyred while another two were injured after the local police headquarters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa\u2019s Tank district came under attack, police said on Friday.<\/p>\n
Tank District Police Officer Iftikhar Ali Shah confirmed the casualties. He told Dawn.com<\/em> that a sub-inspector was among those killed.<\/p>\n According to the official, one of several militants first exploded himself at the main entrance of a police office and residence block and the others stormed in. \u201cOur force on guard engaged them in a gun battle for hours,\u201d DPO Shah said.<\/p>\n KP Inspector General Akhtar Hayat said three of the attackers were killed.<\/p>\n DPO Shah said he was present at the site of the incident and a search operation was under way to locate more militants. He further said that the terrorists fired shots and \u201cused hand grenades\u201d.<\/p>\n A little-known militant group that identified itself as Ansarul Islam claimed responsibility, saying it was their first attack, according to a statement sent to a Reuters<\/em> reporter. The police didn\u2019t verify the authenticity of the claim.<\/p>\n Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar strongly condemned the attack and paid tribute to the security forces for foiling \u201ca big plan of terrorism\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThe entire nation pays tribute to the valiant security personnel who sacrificed their lives for the homeland,\u201d he said in a statement released by the Prime Minister\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n The premier also vowed to continue the fight against terrorism till its complete elimination from the country, adding that the nation stood with its security forces in the war against terror.<\/p>\n Former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his grief over the incident and strongly condemned it.<\/p>\n Stating that the police, Frontier Corps and Pakistan Army were putting their lives at risk, he added that the nation would always be indebted to them for their sacrifices.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, PPP\u2019s Sherry Rehman said the attacks on police lines and checkpoints would not go unnoticed. \u201cNeither our religion nor Constitution has any tolerance for terrorism,\u201d she wrote on X.<\/p>\n Today\u2019s incident comes days after at least 23 soldiers were martyred<\/a> and more than 30 troops wounded after militants belonging to the Tehreek-i-Jihad Pakistan (TJP) stormed a compound used by the military in Dera Ismail Khan.<\/p>\n Last month, a cop embraced martyrdom<\/a> in a militant attack outside the Nadra office in Tank after being shot by militants riding on a motorcycle.<\/p>\n