<\/p>\n
Three policemen embraced martyrdom and five terrorists were killed during an attack on Police Lines in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa\u2019s Tank City on Friday, the army\u2019s media wing said.<\/p>\n
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), five terrorists including a suicide bomber attempted an attack but were \u201coffered stiff resistance by brave policemen\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cSecurity forces in the vicinity were immediately mobilised to support the police force and in the ensuing operation,\u201d the statement said. \u201cAll five terrorists were sent to hell.\u201d<\/p>\n
The ISPR said that the effective response of policemen was a testament to \u201ctheir unrelenting resolve in the fight against terrorism\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, during an intense fire exchange with the terrorists, three brave policemen, having fought gallantly, embraced shahadat<\/em> (martyrdom),\u201d the ISPR added.<\/p>\n It said that the country\u2019s security forces \u201cstood shoulder-to-shoulder\u201d with other law enforcement agencies to ensure peace and stability in the country.<\/p>\n Earlier, Tank District Police Officer Iftikhar Ali Shah also 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 Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities in recent months, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the TTP ended its ceasefire<\/a> with the government in November last year.<\/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 On Nov 11, three police personnel<\/a>, including a station house officer (SHO), were martyred and five others including a deputy superintendent of police, had sustained injuries in a militant attack on police in Tank\u2019s Kari Shah Noor area.<\/p>\n Earlier in November, an overnight attack on the post in the limits of Gul Imam police station in the Tank area of D.I. Khan was repelled<\/a>.<\/p>\nUptick in terror activities<\/h2>\n