Tightening the noose: Over 128 suspects arrested across K-P, Mohmand Agency

APS massacre prompts intensified efforts to crack down on militants, terrorists.


Our Correspondents December 27, 2014

HARIPUR/ HANGU/ GHALLANAI/ PABBI:


In a bid to expedite the hunt for the Army Public School (APS) attack perpetrators and deliver a decisive blow to militants and terrorists, security forces launched massive sweeps across the province. Although crackdowns and raids have been carried out continually over the past ten days, the operations intensified on Friday when over 128 suspects were arrested from different areas of K-P and in Mohmand Agency.


Following intelligence reports tracing communications of militants involved in the APS attack to Afghanistan, the provincial government decided to clamp down on Afghan refugees residing in the province. In a special meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on December 19, the government decided to expel Afghan refugees within a month. “If presidential elections can be held in Afghanistan, its citizens can also go back home,” said Minister for Information Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani while briefing the media after the meeting.

However, Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch addressed a press conference on December 23, quashing rumours that registered refugees would also be expelled. Baloch said, “Registered refugees do not have to worry” and the operation is against those who are residing in Pakistan illegally and are involved in anti-state activities.

Cleaning up

Four suspects were arrested during a search operation in Tora Warai, Doaba in Hangu district on Friday. They were shifted to an undisclosed location for investigation.

Meanwhile, a vehicle of the security forces overturned during the course of the crackdown in Thall tehsil, injuring six officials. They were rushed to Thall Combined Military Hospital (CMH).

A large-scale search operation was launched in Haripur district and 50 Afghan refugees were arrested on Thursday night.

The suspects were detained from Khalabat Township, Ghazi and other areas. Police registered cases against the detainees.

In another operation, 20 Afghan refugees were arrested while a number of weapons and 4,080 cartridges were seized from their possession.

In Pabbi in Nowshera, Akbarpura and Aza Khel police arrested 35 suspects, four Afghan refugees and 15 proclaimed offenders on Friday. A car and 29 motorbikes were also impounded while a large number of weapons and ammo were seized from their possession.

Mohmand Agency

FC officials raided a house in Safi, Mohmand Agency and confisicated a large cache of weapons and ammunition.

Forces raided the house of Daulat Khan in Lakaro and seized 82 mortar shells, 66 landmines, 35kgs of explosives, thousands of cartridges, raw material used in manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IED) and a large number of rocket launchers.

Afghan operations

Reciprocating Pakistan’s call for hunting down militants, Afghan security forces have also launched sweeps along the Pak-Afghan border.

“Afghan security forces have launched joint anti-militant operations in several parts of Dangam district of Kunar province,” Dawlat Waziri, deputy defence ministry spokesperson, told AFP on December 22. “So far in the operation, 21 armed insurgents have been killed and 33 others wounded,” Waziri said, adding seven security personnel were wounded.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27th, 2014.

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