CTD releases fresh list of 152 wanted terrorists

Inclusion of journalist from Waziristan invites widespread criticism on social media

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has once again released an updated lists of 152 Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists from settled and merged districts of the province, announcing a head money on their capture dead or alive in an effort to encourage the general public to provide information about these most-wanted hardcore terrorists.

The list, however, showed various flaws and errors, as a North Waziristan Provincial Disaster Management Authority spokesperson who has also worked as a journalist was also named as a terrorist and with a bounty of Rs1 million. This has invited widespread criticism on social media and from the journalist community.

Similarly, after a long time, the name of previously surrendered TTP spokesperson Ihsanullah Ihsan has also been included in the list with Rs1 million head money, showing the lack of authentic and unverified information on the part of CTD.

By the same token, some of the terrorists who were previously proclaimed dead in Afghanistan have also been included in the list.

Notable example in this regard is Omar Mukarram Khurasani alias Sarbakaf was reported dead in Afghanistan in the recent past.

In October this year, to combat militancy effectively, the CTD launched an aggressive initiative aimed at apprehending 135 of the most-wanted terrorists, announcing bounties on their heads.

The CTD unveiled a comprehensive list containing the names and photographs of the 135 most-wanted terrorists. This initiative, designed to combat militancy, also included the unprecedented inclusion of a female suspect in the K-P province.

The female terrorist, known as Quratulain, is believed to be the wife of Iqbal, also known as Bali Khiyara, who was a prominent commander of a terrorist group in DI Khan. Iqbal’s life came to an end in a recent encounter with the CTD.

Recognising the need for public involvement in enhancing security, the CTD appealed to citizens for their assistance in locating and apprehending the individuals on the list. To encourage informants, the authorities have promised complete confidentiality.

This initiative serves as a wake-up call for the public to actively engage in the fight against terrorism and contribute to the safety of their communities. Among the 135 most-wanted terrorists in the province, the CTD officials have set bounties ranging from Rs300,000 up to Rs10 million.

Notably, two of the listed terrorists have Afghan origins, while the majority hail from DI Khan.

Some of the individuals on the wanted list include Jalaluddin, Muhammad Asif Khan, Asif Siddiqui, Muhammad Fayyaz, Inam Qari, Altaf Hussain, Muhammad Rizwan, Shehkar Din Bhatti, Wajid Khan, Niaz Muhammad, Naqab Khan, Kaleem Khan, Zarif Saeed, Yasir Ilyas and Muhammad Kashif.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2023.