At least four suspected militants were killed in Lyari's Ali Mohammad Mohalla in an exchange of fire with the Rangers who were conducting a search operation in the area in the early hours of Wednesday after a grenade attack martyred one personnel.

Earlier, on Tuesday night, a Rangers vehicle on routine patrol had come under a grenade attack in which one official was martyred while four others were injured. One alleged militant was also killed in the attack and hand grenades, a 9mm pistol and magazines were recovered from his possession, the paramilitary force claimed.

While the Rangers were conducting a search operation following the attack, militants allegedly opened fire. Four alleged militants were killed in the paramilitary force's retaliatory fire and four Kalshinkov rifles were found in their possession, DawnNewsTV reported.

The deceased were identified as Chakar Ali, Mehar Ali, Amir alias Panday, Umair Ali and Amir Ali who were wanted by law enforcement agencies for various crimes, Rangers claimed.

A large contingent of Rangers and the police has been deployed to the area as panic and fear continues to engulf Zikri Para of Ali Mohammad Mohalla. Certain streets were completely cordoned off by the Rangers with no one being allowed to enter or leave the vicinity.

DG Rangers Sindh Mohammad Saeed, Home Minister Sohail Anwar Sial and other Rangers officials participated in the funeral prayers of Fawad Khan, the Rangers sepoy martyred in last night's grenade attack. The body of the deceased was then sent to his hometown Lakki Marwat.

Following the funeral prayers, DG Rangers visited Zikri Para where he was briefed about the operation. He was accompanied by Additional Inspector General Police Mushtaq Mahar.

Lyari, which suffered for years as a result of gang war before an operation in the city initiated in 2015 restored peace, has recently faced a spike in grenade attacks and demands for extortion.

This incident, however, comes as an anomaly in recent times as the death toll rose to six, including one Rangers personnel and five alleged militants.