Suspect in Lahore cop attacks killed in 'encounter'

The counter-terrorism department (CTD) killed a suspected sharpshooter and alleged member of the banned militant group Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Faizan Butt, who was involved in three attacks on police officers in Lahore within a week in an encounter in Karol Ghatti late at night on Sunday.

Faizan had shot dead a sub-inspector and a constable after following them when they were going home. He had also shot and injured a police constable.

The suspect had a knack for spotting unarmed police officers in uniform. He would occasionally venture out, roam the city, find a target, pursue them, and shoot when the moment was right.

Using a pen camera, he recorded the attacks, ensuring the victim was dead before leaving. He then sent the recordings to his superiors as proof.

Also fond of the display of arms and aerial firing, several cases were registered against the suspect in multiple police stations.

A civilian law enforcement agency team had abducted the suspect from a private housing society near the Defence Housing Society (DHA).

Initial investigations suggested that the suspect was frustrated because CTD had registered a fake case against him to show his performance in IBO operations.

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CTD once received information that he had contacted a few people in the area to help him join a religious militant organization. CTD picked and interrogated him, however, upon failure to find substantial evidence, the suspect was released.

After some time, CTD abducted him and registered a case against him for carrying explosives, planning a terrorist attack and showing it as a performance during an intelligence-based operation (IBO).

Faizan was sent to prisons where he met with a jailed leader of a banned sectarian militant outfit who helped him released on bail by giving him half a million rupees.

With the connivance of the leader, he went to tribal areas where he went through firing practice.
He also visited Afghanistan where he had meetings with TTP leaders who assigned him the task of killing six policemen to establish himself capable of membership of TTP and promised him a reward of Rs6,00,000, Rs1,00,000 million rupees per killing.

The suspect revealed that TTP had arranged pistols, one 30 bores and another nine mm for the killing. 

Faizan's father was a manager in a factory and lived in Shadbagh. His mother had separated and lived in the private housing society near DHA. 

Spokesperson CTD said that the CTD team took the arrested terrorists to Karol Jungle for recovery of the weapons. Upon identification of Faizan Butt, one pistol and two hand grenades were recovered by the team.

Meanwhile, during the operation five to six terrorists launched an attack and opened fire upon the police party, as a result, four of the terrorists were shot dead by the firing of their accomplices while the other three managed to escape the scene.

The police also recovered two Kalashnikovs and a pistol 30 bore from the spot, he said. Faizan Butt was associated with the proscribed organisation TTP, the CTD spokesman said, while identification of three other shot dead deceased was underway. The search operation to arrest the fleeing terrorists also began in the area.

The spokesperson reiterated that CTD of Punjab is diligently pursuing its goal of a safe Punjab and is determined to root out the scourge of terrorism. He said that in case of any information related to terrorism, citizens should report on the helpline of CTD Punjab on 0800-11111.