LAHORE: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has foiled a major terror plot by arresting 11 suspected militants linked with banned outfits during operations in different areas of Punjab.

According to the spokesman, the Punjab CTD conducted 135 intelligence-based operations in different districts of the province to effectively deal with any untoward incident of terrorism, in which 135 suspected people were interrogated and 11 alleged militants were arrested with weapons, explosives and other prohibited materials.

Those arrested are Gul Shadeen, Kazim, Muhammad Nawab, Sibghatullah, Muhammad Osama Farooq, Ejaz Ahmed, Zaheer, Mustafa Khan, Rasool Khan, Shahzad, Akhtar Hussain and Muhammad Ejaz, who belong to banned organisations Daesh, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Al-Qaeda and Lashkar-i-Jhangvi.

The spokesman said the arrest of these militants was carried out during intelligence-based operations in Sargodha, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Jhelum, Lahore, Narowal, Jhang, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Gujranwala.

He said 830-gram explosive material, one explosive jacket, two IED bombs, 11 detonators, 17-foot safety fuse wire, 11-foot prima card, stickers and pamphlets of a banned organisation, seven books, two magazines and Rs21,800 in cash had been recovered from their possession.

The spokesman said the militants had planned to sabotage across the province and wanted to target important installations. The police have registered 10 cases against them and shifted them to an unknown location.

He said 790 combing operations were also conducted during this week with the help of local police and security agencies; 33,546 people were checked, 80 suspects arrested, 79 FIRs registered and 42 recoveries were made during these operations.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2024