The Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Saturday said it had “foiled a major terror plan by arresting seven terrorists belonging to a banned organisation” during 129 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) across the province.

According to a statement issued today, the Punjab CTD conducted the IBOs in different districts, interrogating 129 suspects and arresting the seven terrorists, who belonged to the banned militant Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and other organisations.

It added that they were arrested during IBOs in Lahore, Bhakkar, Attock, Wahari, Bahawalpur and Jhang.

The statement added that 1,190 grammes of explosives and two improvised explosive devices were among the weapons, explosives and other prohibited materials recovered from them.

The CTD spokesman said the terrorists had planned sabotage in the province and wanted to target important installations and other places, adding that seven cases were registered against them and further investigation was under way.

The statement said that 2,943 combing operations were conducted, 68,537 persons were checked, 257 suspects were arrested, 250 cases were registered and 179 recoveries were made in the past week.

Earlier on Oct 5th, 18 terrorists were arrested by the Punjab CTD.

The country has lately witnessed a sharp uptick in the number of attacks targeting security forces, other law enforcement agencies, and security checkpoints, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, although there was a reduction in the number of attacks last month according to a report by Pak Institute for Peace Studies.