LAHORE: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed on Saturday to have arrested six suspects belonging to different banned outfits during operations in different areas of Punjab.

According to the spokesman, the Punjab CTD conducted 39 intelligence based operations (IBOs) in different districts of the province, interrogating 40 suspects and arresting six militants allegedly affiliated with different banned outfits, recovering weapons, explosives and other prohibited materials from them.

Those arrested have been identified as Shoaib Rafiq, a member of the banned organisation Hizb-e-Tahrir, Muhammad Baqir Mehndi, a member of Sipah Muhammad Pakistan, two members of the Baloch Liberation Army – Zahir Shah and Muhammad Shahzad, Muhammad Afzal, a member of Jamaatul Ahrar, and Asif, a member of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, he said.

The spokesman says that 415 grams of explosive material, one hand grenade, one improvised explosive device (IED bomb), six detonators, six feet safety fuse wire, two feet Prima Card, four prohibited books, 31 pamphlets of banned organisation, nine stickers, two flags, a receipt book, three mobile phones and Rs49,680 in cash have been recovered from the suspected militants.

He says the militants had planned terrorist activities across the province and wanted to target important installations and religious places.

The police have registered five cases against the arrested suspects in Lahore, Gujranwala, DG Khan, Sahiwal and Rawalpindi and shifted them to an unknown location, he adds.

The spokesman adds that 238 combing operations were also conducted during this week with the help of local police and security agencies, checking 1,1041 persons and arresting 33 suspects. He says 28 FIRs were registered against the suspects and 20 prohibited items were recovered.

He says the CTD is diligently pursuing its goal of a “safe Punjab” and making all out efforts to put militants and other anti-state elements behind bars.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2023