CTD arrests 16 suspected terrorists in operations across Punjab

The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Tuesday arrested 16 suspected terrorists, including a suicide bomber, during intelligence-based operations (IBOs) conducted across multiple cities in Punjab, a CTD spokesperson said. According to the spokesperson, a total of 113 IBOs were carried out across the province, targeting areas including Khushab, Mianwali, Rawalpindi, Jhang, Bhakkar, Lahore, Faisalabad, Chakwal, Toba Tek Singh, Hafizabad and Gujranwala. Officials said a “dangerous suicide bomber linked to Fitna al-Khawarij” was arrested in Jhang, along with a suicide vest and explosive material.  Fitna al-Khawarij is the state-designated term for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). In a separate operation in Sargodha, a suspect identified as Malkay Khan was detained over alleged involvement in attacks on security installations. The spokesperson said the suspects had planned to target police checkpoints, but the plots were “foiled through timely action”. A range of explosive materials was recovered during the operations, including suicide jackets, detonators, safety fuse wires, prohibited stickers, banned literature and cash. Some of the arrested suspects were identified as Moin Khan, Asil Din, Nasir Shah, Marjan, Malle Khan, Naseeb Khan, Ali Abdullah, Saifullah, Arif Khan and Abrarul Haq, the CTD said. Also Read: 13 terrorists killed in two separate IBOs in K-P, military says The spokesperson added that 2,830 combing operations were also conducted during the week, during which 95,755 individuals were questioned and 190 suspects were taken into custody. The CTD said operations against militant networks would continue across the province without interruption. In January, six terrorists were killed during a CTD operation in Mianwali after coming under fire from their own accomplices. During the operation, the suspects opened fire on CTD personnel. In the exchange of fire, six militants were killed by shots fired by their own associates, while eight others managed to escape. The CTD said it recovered one suicide jacket, three hand grenades, six sub-machine guns, around 200 bullets, and other explosive material from the scene. In December of last year, Punjab Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar issued a high-security alert across the province and ordered the immediate launch of sweep and combing operations in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, and other districts throughout the province. The IGP ordered profiling and data verification of all individuals entering the province from other regions. He had said monitoring of all banned organisations, including TLP, must continue regularly, and door-knocking campaigns should be intensified to track potential militants and miscreants.