LAHORE: Law enforcement agencies on Wednesday arrested 28 suspected terrorists, including members of a banned outfit and Afghan nationals, in joint search operations across Punjab as well as Islamabad as part of the ongoing Operation Raddul Fasaad.

According to an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release, Punjab Rangers, police and intelligence agencies conducted joint intelligence-based operations in various cities of Punjab, including Dera Ghazi Khan, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Attock, Hassanabdal, Narowal, Shakargarh, Rajanpur and Islamabad.

The security personnel took 26 suspected terrorists, including 11 Afghans, into custody and seized weapons, ammunition, computers, improvised explosive devices (IED) and suicide jacket preparation support material. The suspects were shifted to undisclosed locations for further interrogation.

Separately, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police claimed to have arrested two members of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from Rawalpindi.

A CTD spokesman said a team in Rawalpindi conducted a raid at a house near Jabbar Road, Gorakhpur on a tip-off and arrested two members of the TTP, identified as Muhammad Arif and Ashfaq Ahmad.

Police also recovered 1kg of explosive material, six-foot Primacord, four detonators, one hand grenade and one IED from their custody. The spokesman claimed that initial investigation had revealed the suspects were planning to carry out a terrorism activity against law enforcement personnel in the area.

He said a case under sections 4 and 5 of Explosive Substances Act and 7 of Anti-Terrorism Act was registered against the suspects at CTD Rawalpindi police station, while further investigation was being carried out.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2017