CTD arrests 22 alleged terrorists in Punjab

LAHORE: The Counterterrorism Department (CTD) has foiled a major terror plot by arresting 22 alleged terrorists linked with different banned outfits during operations in different areas of Punjab.

According to the spokesman, the CTD Punjab conducted 232 intelligence-based operations in different districts of the province to effectively deal with any untoward incident of terrorism, in which 233 suspects were interrogated and 22 alleged terrorists were arrested with weapons, explosives and prohibited materials.

The arrested are Sanaullah, Muhammad Shahzad, Mudassar Taj, Fazl Maula, Syed Muhammad Ilyas Saddam, Gul Azam Asadullah, Rahmanullah Qari, Muhammad Samiullah, Shafiq Asif, Syed Nabi, Fahad Islam, Zeeshan Akhtar, Raza Baig, Muhammad Osama Azam, Muhammad Zubair Qasmi, Shoaib Akhtar, Abed Irfan Abbasi, Syed Abdul Halim, Abdul Rehman Khodai, Umar Farooq Sohail, Rana Muhammad Yasir and Muhammad Kausar. They belong to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipahe Sahaba, Baloch Liberation Army, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hizb-ut-Tahreer.

The CTD spokesman said the arrest of these alleged terrorists was carried out during intelligence-based operations in Chakwal, Mianwali, Khanewal, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Bahawalnagar, Attock, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, Mianwali and Jhang. The explosive material 3332 grams, IED bombs 3, detonators 27, safety fuse wire 60 feet, Prima Card 5.1, prohibited books 6, pamphlets 102, stickers of banned organizations 89, receipt books 7, mobile phones 2 and Rs 66,055 in cash were recovered from the terrorists.

The spokesman said the terrorists had planned sabotage and wanted to target important installations. Police have registered 19 FIRs against the terrorists in Sargodha, Multan, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Lahore, Bahawalpur and Gujranwala and shifted them to an unknown location.

As many as 1,081 combing operations were conducted during this week with the help of local police and security agencies, 43,792 people were checked, 149 suspects were arrested, 134 FIRs were registered and 99 recoveries were made. The spokesman said the CTD Punjab was diligently pursuing its goal of a safe Punjab and no stone would be left unturned in its efforts to bring terrorists and anti-state elements behind the bars. In case of any related information, call the CTD helpline on 0800 11111.