89 terrorists arrested over 3 months across Punjab: CTD

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has arrested 89 terrorists in 940 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) launched across Punjab over the past three months, the department said in a statement on Monday.

There has been a recent uptick in terror attacks in Pakistan over the past year. The CTD regularly carries out operations to prevent and investigate terrorism-related activities and gather intelligence.

During the three months, 14 terrorists were arrested in Lahore, 14 in Rawalpindi, seven each in Faisalabad and Bahawalpur, six each in Jhang and Sargodha, five in Sahiwal, four from Gujranwala and three each from Bahawalnagar and Gujrat, the statement read.

“Of the arrested terrorists, 55 belong to Fitna al Khawarij, five are from ISIS (Islamic State), and two each are from Al-Qaeda, Hizb-ut-Tahrir and Jeay Sindh,” the statement added.

The state uses the term Fitna al Khawarij to refer to terrorists of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

According to the CTD, items seized during the raids include 20.2 kilogrammes of explosive material, 85 detonators, 183 feet of safety fuse wire, 717 pamphlets belonging to a banned organisation, magazines, detonating cord, mobile phones and cash.

The CTD added that 87 criminal cases have been registered against the arrested suspects, and investigations are underway.

“The arrested individuals had been planning attacks on important buildings in several cities,” the statement read. “CTD Punjab remains vigilant and committed to the ‘Safe Punjab’ objective. We will spare no effort to bring terrorists and anti-state elements to justice.

“In related security activity during the current week, local police and security agencies carried out 13,521 combing operations, checked 552,692 people, arrested 1,131 suspicious persons, registered 1,061 FIRs (first information reports) and achieved 906 recoveries.

Earlier this week, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CTD neutralised three terrorists, including an Afghan national, during an IBO carried out in Khyber district.

Two of the three militants killed during the IBO were involved in a suicide bombing in Peshawar, which led to the deaths of a sub-inspector and a constable.

A statement issued by the CTD said that the department conducted the operation based on the reported presence of Fazal Noor, a commander of the banned militant group Islamic State Khorasan Province and his group members in the Ali Masjid area of the district.