RAWALPINDI: Five Afghan nationals were arrested near Dhanda in the Chakbeli Khan area in a joint search operation by the armed forces, intelligence agencies and local police.

A senior police officer told Dawn that a tip was received by authorities that individuals from a foreign intelligence agency were hiding in the area and were involved in terrorist activities.

The official said the two Afghan nationals were arrested from Islamabad’s G-9 sector last week, and that action was taken based on their information.

The official said the search operation found five Afghan nationals without documentation, who have been taken into custody by intelligence agencies and shifted to an undisclosed location.

Rawat police Station House Officer (SHO) Muhammad Asif confirmed that a joint search operation had taken place.

Asif said that the operation was conducted against terrorists and criminals involved in anti-state activities. However, he added that the Afghan nationals arrested were ordinary men who kept cattle in the area but failed to provide documentation.

“We have given them 24 hours to prove their identity, with Computerised National Identity Cards (CNIC) if they are Pakistani, or documents from Afghanistan,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2015

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