In a tragic incident, six cops were martyred in a gun attack on a police mobile by terrorists in the Lakki Marwat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday.
As per the police, unidentified men attacked the police van in the jurisdiction of Dadiwala Police Station during a routine patrol for security near a fair.
The martyred cops were identified as ASI Ilm Din, Constable Mehmood Khan, Detective Foot Constable Ahmed Nawaz, Lower Head Constable Zubair, Frontier Reserve Police's Sipahi Ali Usman and driver Dil Jan.
The Lakki Marwat district police said that a search operation has been started to trace the terrorists.
In a statement issued shortly after the heinous attack, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned it and paid tribute to the martyred policemen. "The nation salutes brave officers who have sacrificed their lives for their motherland."
Terming terrorists as the enemies of Pakistan, the prime minister vowed that the nation would stand strong against them. He then urged the KP government to provide the "Shuhda Package" to the families of the deceased.
In response to the tragic incident, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah directed KP Chief Secretary Shehzad Bangash and Inspector-General of Police (IGP) KP Moazam Jah Ansari to submit a report.
Taking notice of the matter, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah condemned the attack and offered his condolences to the martyrs' families.
He said the deceased policemen have received the "high status of martyrdom".
"The cowardly act of terrorists should be condemned as much as possible," the Sindh CM said.
People in cities across the province have come out on the streets recently and demanded an end to terrorism, but authorities have time and again claimed to have the situation under control.
In light of the incidents, CM KP Mahmood Khan earlier this month approved several proposals for strengthening the police department in the province, especially in the merged districts, and gave the go-ahead to the establishment of counter-terrorism department (CTD) offices in all districts.
He okayed the suggestions while chairing the 10th meeting of the Provincial Task Force, where he pledged to provide all available resources to make the police force strong as per contemporary requirements, a handout had said.