Pak lawmaker Mohsin Dawar amid rising militancy

Amid a surge in militancy in northwest Pakistan, the Member National Assembly Mohsin Dawar said a "war is underway" in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province after four police officials were killed "terrorist attack" in Lakki Marwat area.

"4 police officials of Bragai police station were martyred in a terrorist attack in Lakki Marwat while there are reports of terrorists having taken hostages in Bannu cantt. There is a war underway in Pakhtunkhwa. Those who allowed Taliban into Pakhtunkhwa are responsible for it," Dawar tweeted.

Early Sunday morning, militants attacked Khyber's Lakki Marwat, leaving four policemen dead and injuring as many.

"At midnight, militants attacked the police station and tried to enter the building," Lakki Police spokesperson Shahid Hameed told Dawn.

The Pakistan publication said the policemen engaged the militants for almost 45 minutes after which the attackers escaped.

No group has taken responsibility for the attack so far. But the police suspect the involvement of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Dawn newspaper reported.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said, "terrorists were the open enemies" of the nation. "Those who have been shielding the nation against terrorists are our heroes," said a statement from the Pakistan Prime Minister's Office.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan condemned the attack and sought a report from the police.

"Terrorist attack on Lucky Marwat police station Bargai/Chief Minister @IMMahmoodKhan condemned/Report sought from IG Police Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mehmood Khan strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Lucky Marwat," KP Chief Minister's office tweeted.

The latest attack comes amid a surge in militancy across Pakistan after TTP called off its ceasefire agreement with the government on November 28 and ordered its militants to stage attacks across the country.

In a statement, TTP had said that the outfit took the decision after "a series of non-stop attacks were launched by the military group in Bannu's Lakki Marwat district".