ISLAMABAD, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Two policemen were shot dead in a gun attack by unidentified assailants in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, local police said Saturday.
The incident took place late Friday in the jurisdiction of the IDS Gadoon Police Station in Swabi district, where two motorcycle-borne attackers opened fire on the officers while they were dining at a local hotel, a spokesperson for the provincial police told Xinhua.
The assailants fled the scene after the shooting, the spokesperson said.
Security forces arrived at the site shortly after the attack and launched a search operation in the surrounding area.
The bodies were shifted to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Topi town for legal formalities. An investigation into the incident is underway, police said.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack and expressed deep sorrow over the martyrdom of the police personnel.
The prime minister directed authorities to carry out a thorough investigation and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice. He reiterated his government's commitment to eliminating terrorism from the country.
"Our police officers and personnel are playing a vital role in purging the nation of the menace of terrorism," Sharif said, adding that the entire nation stands proud of the sacrifices made by law enforcement to safeguard the homeland. ■