LAHORE, Nov 14: Police claim to have captured five alleged terrorists belonging to a faction of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.

The accused are involved in different terror attacks, including that of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under-training jail waders, Babu Sabu police check-post and suicide attack on the Dera Ismaeel Khan district police chief and seized from them arms and ammunition.

Inspector General of Punjab Police Habibur Rehman, flanked by Multan Regional Police Officer Aamir Zulfiqar Khan and others, told a news conference at the Lahore Police Club on Wednesday that the Multan police had arrested five terrorists of TTP’s Qari Yasin group during a successful operation.

He said the group based in Miran Shah (North Waziristan) was involved in several terror attacks in Punjab and other parts of the country. He identified the arrested as Habibur Rehman, Imtiaz Nazir, Hafiz Muhammad Ramzan, Muhammad Imran and Ameer Moavia. They hail from Dera Ismael Khan. He said police recovered two Kalashnikovs, four magazines, three 30-bore pistols and 105 bullets from their possession.

Abdul Ghaffar alias Qari Saifullah, the commander of this group, was killed during a shootout with Multan police near Pul Ghazi Ghat in DG Khan on Aug 1, 2012. He was wanted by the Punjab police in several cases of bank robberies and terror attacks.

The third important member of this group was Imran Gandapur of DI Khan who was the in-charge of terror activities in KPK. He had killed constable Jahangir in KPK and later along with his accomplices was also shot dead during an encounter with the police.

Following the killing of Gandapur, Iqbal Rashid alias Rashu had become operational in-charge of Qari Yasin group. To take revenge of the killing of Gandapur, Rashu had planned killing of security personnel of KPK. Rashu was the main accused who had masterminded suicidal attack on the DI Khan DPO, killing of constables, terror attack on Shiite and the recent terror attacks which took place in Punjab.

The IG said Iqbal alias Rashu, Hameedullah, Niamatullah, Hammadullah, Jandullah, Habibur Rehman and Imtiaz were involved in gun attack on under-training KPK prison officials in Rasool Park, Ichhra, while Ramazan, Ameer Moavia and Imran had assisted the terror attack.

About security in Muharram, the IGP said more than 118,308 policemen would be deployed across the province to maintain peace and security around majalis, processions and imambargahs. He warned the elements found involved in fanning hatred and provocative speeches would be dealt with an iron hand.

He said religious activists and leaders found involved in spreading extremism would be arrested and would be imprisoned in far-flung areas.

He announced cash and certificates for the Multan RPO and his team for their performance.