ISLAMABAD: Police in the capital foiled a terrorist plot against the Pakistan Day parade, to be held on March 23 this year after a seven-year gap and may be attended by the Chinese president.

Two men have been arrested and a heavy cache of weapons seized. Police have sought a two-day physical remand from the court to thoroughly interrogate the suspects, who confessed to planning an attack during preliminary questioning.

The primary suspect is said to be the son of a local real estate developer who, among other properties, has heavily invested in as many as seven housing societies in the federal capital.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mirwaiz Niaz confirmed that two individuals were arrested in the raid on a house in Ghori Town. “During initial questioning, it has emerged that the weapons were brought in from the tribal areas. Police are trying to establish which extremist group the suspects are linked to,” he said.

An official told Dawn on condition of anonymity that police had received a tip that a large quantity of weapons and ammunition was being stored in a house in the Ghori Town locality and that a plot to attack the upcoming Pakistan Day parade was being hatched there.

“The house, located in the Koral police precinct, belonged to a very influential person, who owns seven housing societies. Therefore, it was decided that a search warrant would be obtained before the house was raided,” he said.

“During the search operation, as many as six Kalashnikovs, one M-4 rifle, three 12 bore rifles, one 7mm rifle, an SMG, two Repeater guns, two 12 bore and two 9mm pistols and 2,834 live bullets were recovered. These weapons were concealed in a cupboard under some books and stationery,” he said.

According to the police report seen by Dawn, the two men in custody are Raja Safeer Akbar and his gunman Saghir Ahmed.

Koral Station House Officer (SHO) Jamshed Khan confirmed that Raja Safeer Akbar is the son of the owner the Ghori Town housing scheme.

“It would have been a disaster if terrorists had succeeded in attacking the parade, especially in the presence of the Chinese president,” another police official told Dawn.

ISPR spokesman Maj Gen Asim Bajwa had earlier announced that the parade would be held this year. The event is held to commemorate the Pakistan Resolution, introduced at the Muslim League Convention in Lahore on March 23, 1940 and passed the following day.

The Pakistan Day parade used to be a regular feature until 2008, but was discontinued because of security fears and troops’ engagement in military operations in various parts of the country.

The military is still involved in intense counter-terrorism operations — in North Waziristan (Zarb-i-Azb) and Khyber Agency — and tensions run high on the Line of Control and the Working Boundary with India. However, the decision to resume the parade seems motivated by a desire to shed the mantle of fear.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2015

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