Punjab CTD nabs five alleged terrorists

Spokesperson says some of them belong to banned TTP

LAHORE:

The Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed to have arrested five alleged terrorists during a crackdown across the province.

The law enforcement agencies had intensified their action against militants in the wake of the recent wave of terrorist incidents, including assassination of two Inter-Services Intelligence officers in Khanewal.

According to the spokesperson, the Punjab CTD conducted 21 intelligence based operations in different districts of the province to effectively deal with any untoward incident of terrorism, in which 22 suspects were interrogated as well as five alleged terrorists were arrested and weapons, explosives and other prohibited materials were recovered from their possession.

He said the arrested terrorists were identified as Inamul Haque, Maskeenullah, Wahid Khan, Sher Naqib and Shah Wali, who belong to various banned religious organisations, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

The spokesperson said that one improvised explosive device, 510 grammes of explosive material, 2.1 feet of safety fuse wire, six feet of prima card, two hand grenades, one electric circuit, one electric button, two detonators, three feet of electric wire, one battery, five books and a receipt book of the banned organisation, two mobile phones and cash worth Rs17,230 had been recovered.

He said that the terrorists had planned to stage terrorist attacks across the province at important installations and other religious places.

Further, during this week, a total of 526 combing operations were conducted with the help of local police and security agencies, he said, adding that during these combing operations, 21,227 persons were checked, 130 suspects arrested, 82 FIRs registered and 27 recoveries made.

He said the Punjab CTD was diligently pursuing its goal of a safe Punjab and no stone would be left unturned in the efforts to put terrorists and anti-state elements behind bars.