ISLAMABAD: A policeman was killed in a militant attack in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province on Sunday, provincial authorities said, underscoring persistent security challenges in a region that has witnessed a surge in militant violence in recent years.

KP, which borders Afghanistan, has seen a surge in militancy in recent years, with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups frequently targeting police and security forces’ convoys and check-posts.

In the latest attack, Provincial Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants opened fire on a policeman in KP's Tank district, killing him and injuring his son.

"In this hour of grief, we fully share the sorrow of the martyred police official's family," Kundi said in a statement. "All possible support will be provided to the bereaved family."

Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other groups of using Afghan territory to plan and launch cross-border attacks. Kabul denies the allegation.

The surge in militant attacks has prompted Pakistan to conduct airstrikes on what Islamabad says were militant targets inside Afghanistan in recent months. Afghanistan's Taliban leaders, however, contest the claims.