LAHORE: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed on Saturday to have arrested 15 suspected terrorists belonging to banned outfits during intelligence-based operations from different areas of the province.

A Punjab CTD spokesman said as many as 180 operations were conducted in different districts of the province during which 181 suspects were interrogated and 15 suspects belonging to banned organisations were arrested.

The CTD recovered weapons, explosives and other prohibited materials from the possession of terrorists.

Among the arrested terrorists are Hafiz Abdul Malik, Noor Rahim, Noorul Amin, Manzar Aziz, Abdul Saboor Riaz, Noor Wali, Muhammad Ikram Khan, Muhammad Ejaz, Abdul Wahab Hussaini, Yar Gul, Asrar Ahmed, Ali Shah, Ali Zaman and Umar Rehman. He is related to the banned organisations Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Sipah Sahaba Pakistan and the militant Islamic State group.

The arrest of these terrorists was carried out during intelligence-based operations in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Multan, Toba Tek Singh, Muzaffargarh, Attock, Mianwali, Faisalabad and Chiniot.

As many as 5,977 grams of explosives, one IED bomb, one 30 bore pistol with 18 bullets, 18 detonators, 47 safety fuse wire, 86 stickers, 68 pamphlets, nine prohibited books, two receipt books and Rs49,550 were recovered from their possession.

The spokesman said the terrorists had planned sabotage and wanted to target important installations in the terrorist operation. As many as 14 FIRs were registered against the arrested terrorists.

The spokesperson further said that CTD Punjab conducted 714 combing operations during this week with the help of local police and security agencies and 70 recoveries have been made.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2024