Sindh police on Thursday conducted an operation in Gadap town, killing six men belonging to 'banned militant organisations', Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Malir Rao Anwar Ahmed said.

The six men belonged to proscribed organizations Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, and were involved in targeting law enforcement personnel, Anwar alleged.

One of the men was also involved in the Army Public School attack, police officials said. An ID card was found from his pocket, but the investigators are trying to verify his identity as the card he was carrying may have been faked.

One of the men killed, Ibrahim Haydri, had allegedly been wanted by police for his involvement in grenade attacks and firing on various police officials in different areas of Karachi.

"Haydri and the other militants were responsible for the death of around 25 police personnel," the SSP alleged.

"The [six men] were shot dead in a gun battle during the police operation," SSP Anwar added.

The police had launched the operation on an intelligence tip-off. Acting on the information received, police officials said they conducted a targeted raid on a chicken farm off Superhighway near the Baqai Medical University.

As police personnel encircled the farm, the militants allegedly opened fire, which was returned by the police. The “heavy exchange of firing” lasted almost one hour, police claimed.

A police source said one G3 rifle, one 7mm rifle, one repeater, one 9mm pistol, one mauser, and one 30 bore weapon were recovered from the alleged militants.