Man caught building suicide vest
Police have recovered an incomplete suicide vest made from petrol-based materials from the home of a man originally wanted for financial fraud.
The suspect, identified as Ansar alias Khan Baba, was arrested on October 19 after an armed standoff with police in the Ghaziabad area that lasted nearly two hours.
Two constables, Ashiq and Dilawar, were injured during the exchange of fire. Police had initially gone to arrest him for his alleged involvement in multiple fraud and forgery cases, but what they found later painted a much darker picture.
During a follow-up search at Ansar's residence, investigators discovered a petrol-based suicide vest, still under construction.
Police officials described the device as a "first-of-its-kind intervention" in Pakistan, noting that while suicide vests have typically relied on explosives and shrapnel, this one was designed to ignite using petrol.
Investigators believe Ansar had planned to use the device against police to avoid arrest. His plan failed when officers moved in before the vest was completed.
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has since taken over the investigation to determine whether the suspect had ties to militant or extremist groups.
A senior police officer familiar with the inquiry described the discovery as deeply concerning. "This is the first time we've encountered an attempt to make a suicide vest using petrol. It was primitive, but if ignited, it could have caused massive destruction. The suspect was experimenting with locally available materials to maximize impact," the officer said.
Further investigations revealed that Ansar maintained contacts with hardened criminals and that one of his associates had reportedly left an improvised explosive device (IED) with him "for safekeeping."
This, according to officials, suggests possible coordination between organised crime elements and extremist networks.
Locally, Ansar was known for running a 'boli wala committee', a fraudulent investment scheme promising high returns.
He allegedly defrauded dozens of investors of Rs70-80 million.
As the number of victims grew, angry investors held protests outside his residence and filed numerous complaints, several of which were still under investigation at the time of his arrest. Police now suspect that Ansar's financial operations may have doubled as a front for more sinister activities.
"He was not just a scam artist — he was evolving into a hardened criminal, possibly even preparing for terrorist acts," an investigator said. The CTD is now examining digital data, financial records, and the recovered materials to trace his network.
Preliminary findings indicate that the suspect sourced some components for the vest and other weapons from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, through a supplier identified as Abraar from Mardan, who remains at large.
Forensic tests are underway to determine the vest's chemical makeup and the suspect's technical ability to activate it.
"Had it been completed and ignited, the petrol-based mechanism could have triggered a deadly inferno," a CTD official said.
Residents of Ghaziabad expressed disbelief over the revelations."We only knew him as someone running a committee business. Nobody imagined he was making a suicide vest," a local shopkeeper said. Authorities have vowed to pursue every lead. "This case has blurred the line between financial fraud and terrorism," said a senior police official. "It demonstrates how organised crime can mutate into a direct threat to public safety."