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Terrorism one of Pakistan's foremost problems: PM Shehbaz Sharif
Six policemen were killed in Wednesday's attack, claimed by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Lakki Marwat.
Terrorism remains one of Pakistan's foremost problems, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif acknowledged on Wednesday as he condemned the attack on a police van in Lakki Marwat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Pakistan Taliban, which shares a common lineage with Afghanistan Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack on a routine police patrol that killed all six policemen in the vehicle.
A spokesperson for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) said that the police van was ambushed while on the way to carry out a raid in the area.
Prime Minister Sharif offered his condolences and said on Twitter, "terrorism continues to be one of Pakistan's foremost problems".
"Let us make no mistake. Terrorism continues to be one of Pakistan's foremost problems. Our armed forces & police have valiantly fought the scourge. No words are enough to condemn terrorists' attack on a police van in Lakki Marwat. My thoughts and prayers are with bereaved families," Sharif tweeted.
Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah also condemned the attack on the police personnel in Lakki Marwat and sought a report from the chief secretary and IG Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of the incident.
"Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah strongly condemned the terrorist attack on the police van in Lakki Marwat and expressed concern over the incident. A report of the incident was sought from the Chief Secretary and IG Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Expressing deep sorrow and regret over the martyrdom of police personnel," his office tweeted.
The TTP have for years operated in northwestern Pakistan, once a haven for terrorists from both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan border. The ouster of the West-backed government in Afghanistan by the Taliban have encouraged Islamabad and the TTP to reach a peace agreement through dialogue but the negotiations have not yielded any result so far. A cease-fire, however, has been in place since May.
