LAHORE: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Saturday claimed to have foiled a major terror plot by arresting seven suspects allegedly linked with banned outfits during operations in different areas of Punjab.

According to the CTD spokesman, 59 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) were conducted in various districts of the province to check incidents of terrorism. The teams interrogated 59 suspects and arrested seven of them, recovering weapons, explosives, and other prohibited material.

He said the arrested suspects were identified as Khan Zaman, Shah Muhammad, Ahmad Shah, Azim Sarwar, Noor Muhammad and Abid Hussain, who allegedly belonged to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Khalid Mahmood, another arrested suspect, belonged to Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), he added.

The suspects were arrested during the IBOs in Lahore, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Sargodha, Kasur, and Sheikhupura, he added.

The spokesman said explosive material weighing 2,195 grams, an improvised explosive device (IED), four detonators, safety fuse wire measuring two feet, a prima card measuring 2.8 feet, a 30-bore pistol, three prohibited books, 68 pamphlets, 65 stickers of banned organisations, a flag of TTP, a receipt book, two mobile phones, and Rs1,1850 in cash were recovered from the possession of the suspects.

The spokesman further stated that the suspects were planning to launch terrorist attacks on important installations in different areas of the province.

The CTD police have registered six cases under terrorism charges against the suspects and shifted them to an undisclosed location, he added.

In addition to these operations, 360 combing operations were also conducted during this week with the help of local police and security agencies. During these operations, 14,720 persons were checked, 3,539 suspects arrested, 30 FIRs were registered, and 13 recoveries were made.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2024