Provincial roundup: CTD arrests 784 militants since 2014

Police official said 2015 has been successful year for them

PESHAWAR: The counter-terrorism department (CTD) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has arrested 784 militants across the province since its inception in 2014. At least 19 have been killed in encounters.

A police official told The Express Tribune the CTD crackdown against militants was a “real success” story. He added they have so far registered 679 cases against militants. In these cases, 502 challans had been issued and submitted.

“There are 679 cases out of which 502 challans have been submitted which means interrogation, investigation and everything related to the cases have been completed and challans [are with the] courts,” the official explained.

“Around 256 cases remain pending with anti-terrorism courts,” he said. “We have arrested 66 proclaimed offenders as well – the count includes nine who surrendered themselves to the police during raids and were subsequently arrested.”

The official added, “The year 2015 was successful for the CTD as we were able to arrest some hard-core and important terrorists and solve blind terrorism cases, like the suicide attack on [Awami National Party’s] Bashir Bilour and the [twin] suicide attack in Islamabad district court,” he said. The crackdown against extortionists was also successful but complete elimination would take time, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 24^th, 2016.