ISLAMABAD: The capital police and Rangers on Thursday took eight people into custody during their targeted operation launched in search of militants and their facilitators in the city. Officials in the police said the suspects were picked from Alipur Farash and shifted to an undisclosed location for interrogation.

During the operation, the representatives of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) also accompanied the law enforcement agencies to verify the status of suspected persons.

The targeted operation started off from Sector G-6 and G-7, where mostly government officials lived.

Eight suspects held from Alipur Farash and shifted to undisclosed location

“A number of officials have rented out portions of their houses and in some cases the allottees have constructed additional rooms and given them on rent.” But there has been no scrutiny of the tenants, said the officials.

Though no internally displaced persons (IDPs) from North Waziristan have been registered in the federal capital, the possibility of militants slipping into the city after the military operation cannot be ruled out, they said.

The joint operation is aimed at nabbing militants and their facilitators in the city.

Targeted operations are being conducted on information provided by intelligence agencies. Besides, the police, especially its special branch, and the Rangers were also gathering information through their own sources.

The officials said the targeted operations would continue till the completion of the operation Zarb-i-Azb in North Waziristan.

“Intelligence networks have been mounted in all the spots which can possibly be used by the militants,” they said, adding such areas included 14 slums in the city, Bhara Kahu, Tarnol, Golra, the foothills of Margalla, nullahs and suburbs of the capital city.

A control and command room has also been set up by the police, Rangers and the army to share intelligence and conduct the operations. During the joint operation by the police and Rangers, the army troops stationed in the city would remain on a standby.

When contacted, Senior Superintendent of Police Mohammad Ali Nekokara said the operation had been launched to check the presence of suspects in different areas in collaboration with the Rangers and intelligence agencies.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2014