ISLAMABAD: Four suspects allegedly affiliated with Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were arrested for allegedly trying to target political gatherings in the capital, police said on Tuesday.

However, they said, one of their accomplices managed to escape.

Police said explosives, detonators, ball bearings and iron nails were recovered from them, and a case was also registered against them at a police station of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) under 7- Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and sections 4 and 5 of the Explosive Act. The four suspects were produced before a court from where they were transferred to police custody on four-day physical remand, they added.

According to the first information report (FIR), station house officer (SHO) of CTD police station got a tip about the presence of some suspects with explosives in Shakarparian and that they were planning a terrorist attack.

The SHO along with other policemen was on surveillance duty at Srinagar Highway near Zero Point at that time and shortly reached the area, the FIR said, adding that five suspects were spotted there.

Four of them were caught while one managed to escape, the FIR said, adding that the four suspects were residents of different areas of the capital.

During search, a shopping bag was recovered from them that had explosives weighing 500 grams, two detonators, iron nails of different sizes and ball bearings weighing 450g.

The FIR further said these people were identified as members of the TTP and were planning to carry out terrorist activities during the political gatherings.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2022