Islamabad, Oct 15 (IANS): At least six people were killed on Thursday in Pakistan's Rawalpindi in a police raid on a house following a tip-off that a militant wanted in the assassination of the Punjab home minister two months ago was present there, media reported.

An elite force sub-inspector and five others -- the alleged militant, one woman and three children -- were killed, when a police party raided the house near Rawalpindi's Dhamial base.

The militant along with his wife opened fire and hurled grenades when the police entered their house, police sources told Dawn News.

To avoid arrest, the couple reportedly killed themselves by exploding a hand grenade, which also also took the lives of their three children.

The deceased terrorist was identified as Mustafa alias Imran, while the woman was identified as his wife, Malika.

Punjab home minister Col Shuja Khanzada (retd) was killed in a suicide attack in his political office in Attock city, in August, along with 16 others.