ATTOCK, Sept 8: Attock Police have arrested five illegal Afghan nationals after a search operation held in different residential areas around the sensitive installations of Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and PAF Base Kamra. The operation was launched in connection with an ongoing investigation into August 16’s PAF base attack.

Police sources said the search operation was jointly launched by Hazro, Rangu and Attock Khurd police stations on Saturday night at different rural residential areas adjacent to the PAC and PAF Base Kamra – including Pind Sultan Mukhan, Qutba, Shamsabad, Waisa and Ghorghusti villages. The objective was to identify and trace illegal Afghan nationals and other suspects as they could be local supporters and facilitators of terrorism attacks.

The district administration and law enforcement agencies have become extremely active in tracing illegal residents and other outsiders after the August 16 terrorist attack, which claimed the lives of two security personnel, sources disclosed.

They added that 20 suspects were held during the search operation including five illegal Afghan nationals. The individuals were unable to produce refugee cards or any legal authorisation of their stay within the area during the search operation. The Afghan nationals were later shifted to the Hazro police station awaiting further legal action.

A similar search and sweeping operation is also being launched within others areas of the district to investigate the presence of illegal Afghan nationals and criminals since security agencies have been pointing to Afghan refugees and settlers coming from Wazirstan and other parts of KP’s tribal areas as a security risk to sensitive installations in Attock district.

When contacted, district police officer Mohammad Hilal Khan confirmed the arrest of five illegal Afghan nationals during the search operation and said separate cases had also been registered against them under the Foreign Act, while further investigation was underway in this regard.