PESHAWAR/DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has claimed arresting five alleged members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan during a raid in Bajaur tribal district, a senior official said on Friday.

Addressing a press conference in the provincial capital, CTD SSP Najmul Husain said the men were involved in killing of a polio programme official and three other persons in targeted attacks.

He said the accused confessed to killing Dr Abdul Rehman – a polio programme official – in an attack carried out on January 19. A policeman was also injured in the attack.

SSP Husain said following the January 19 attack, a case was registered under section 302, 324 and 427 of PPC and section 7 of Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. He said an investigation was launched in order to arrest the culprits.

He said the arrested men included Mukhtiar, Mohammad Ibrahim, Yousuf, Rehmatullah and Raj Wali. He added they all belonged to Bajaur, and also confessed to killing three others persons in targeted killing.

Later, a statement issued by CTD said the gang leader, Mukhtiar, along with his associate Noor Ali Shah, who is yet to be arrested, also confessed killing Malik Najibullah and his two friends, Khan Badshah and Rehmanullah, on July 20, 2023.

The statement said CTD Bajaur region conducted a raid on intelligence reports and arrested the five accused. He said the raiding team also recovered three Kalashnikovs, three magazines, 46 rounds and three hand grenades from the spot.

Meanwhile, five people were injured in an explosion that occurred in the main bazaar of Darazinda tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan on Friday.

Rescue 1122 spokesman Aizaz Mehmood said the explosive device, planted on a motorcycle parked near a hotel, went off, injuring five people.

Medical teams of Rescue 1122 immediately reached the site and shifted the injured to hospital. Two of the injured were in critical condition.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2024