At least seven persons were killed in an exchange of fire between two groups of people following a dispute over a cricket match among children in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, authorities said on Saturday.

The incident happened at a police post in Abbottabad district where the rival parties had come to register a case against each other after their children, while playing cricket match, had a quarrel, deputy superintendent of police Ijaz ljaz Khan said.

The police post virtually turned into battlefield as the armed rivals trade heavy fire when they came face to face.

'One party opened fire to which the other party, which was also armed, retaliated and responded with gun fires,' he said.

The exchange of fire left seven persons dead from both sides at the spot and one other injured.

'Three persons belong to one party and four from other party died, respectively,' he said.