ISLAMABAD: A group of heavily armed militants targeted a police station in the northwestern region of Punjab province, confirmed an official statement released on Tuesday night, only a day after a suicide explosion ripped through a crowded mosque in Peshawar’s police headquarters and claimed at least 100 lives.

The attack on Mianwali police station was promptly claimed by a proscribed militant network, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which said that its fighters targeted the facility at about 9:30pm with a combination of light and heavy weapons.

The TTP statement added there was a “strong possibility of casualties” in the attack which had partially damaged the building, though the Punjab Police said the “terrorist attack was foiled” without mentioning any injuries or deaths.

“The attacking terrorists were repulsed by the retaliatory fire of policemen and were forced to flee,” said the police in a string of Twitter posts. “[District Police Officer] Mianwali Muhammad Naveed was present on the spot along with other personnel and the morale of the policemen was high.”

Punjab Inspector General Police Dr. Usman Anwar contacted the staff members at the police precinct soon after the incident and praised them for their courage.

He also instructed his department to “pursue terrorists and bring them to justice.”

The IG police noted the counterterrorism department (CTD), elite force and special branch provided assistance to the police during the operation in Mianwali.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also praised the police personnel who foiled the TTP attack and promised to reward them for their bravery.

“Police and CTD will be equipped with more powerful and modern weapons,” he added. “The entire nation is with its brave forces to end terrorism.”