BAHAWALPUR: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed on Thursday to have averted a major terrorism plan allegedly aimed at targeting politicians and personnel of an intelligence agency by arresting four men belonging to the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The arrests have been effected on the basis of an intelligence-based operation (IBO) a team of the CTD and other law-enforcement agencies conducted in a south Punjab area, says the spokesman.

Coincidentally, a CTD team arrested a suspected terrorist in Daska city as well.

The CTD spokesman said the south Punjab operation continued for several hours and it led to the arrest of Abdullah, Naimat Rahim, Salman Rahim and Mansoor Rahim who were waiting for a suicide bomber to carry out an attack on some politicians and security officials. The alleged terrorists, he said, had completed tracking of the high-profile politicians and personnel of an agency.

The spokesman told Dawn that officials recovered a rocket launcher, three hand grenades, arms and ammunition, maps of sensitive installations in south Punjab and motivational literature of the TTP. A case was registered against the suspects who were shifted to an undisclosed place, he said.

The IGP appreciated the success of the operation and announced reward for the raiding team, and pledged that the Punjab police would leave no stone unturned to make the province safe.

SIALKOT: The CTD claimed to have arrested a suspected terrorist in Sabzi Mandi, Daska city.

According to senior CTD officials, a team from Gujranwala raided a place here and caught Muhammad Yousaf, a resident of Kamalia tehsil of Toba Tek Singh, who belongs to the proscribed ISIS.

The CTD arrested him with explosive material and safety fuse and sent him behind the bars after registering a case.

It was the second such arrest in Sialkot during the last one week. A CTD team had arrested Ahmed Butt who belongs to a banned militant organisation on June 30.

Published in Dawn, July 06th, 2018