SWABI: At least 125 suspects were arrested in a pre-dawn joint operation conducted by Pak army and police here on Monday.

District police officer Javid Iqbal told reporters that personnel of intelligence and security agencies, including from the Counter-Terrorism Department, participated in the operation.

DPO Iqbal said police would take action against the local people for harbouring militants coming to the district from other areas.

Replying a question, he said arms and ammunition were also recovered from the suspects during the action.

He said a week back a similar joint operation was conducted in the mountainous region of Maklikabad and its suburbs, arresting over 130 suspected persons.

“We conducted the operation in the regions where we had intelligence reports that militants were hiding there,” said another police official who was part of the operation. “The intelligence-based operations would continue against militants,” he added.

DSP Izhar Shah said the operation was conducted in Managi, Sheikh Jana, Asota, Parmuli and Shewa areas. He said the exit points of the localities where operation was conducted were blocked and army and police personnel patrolled there.

Meanwhile, a resident of Sheikh Jana area told Dawn by phone: “When we got up in the morning we saw army and police personnel frisking everyone coming or going out of the village.”

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2016