Nick of time: Mass casualties avoided as Muharram terror plot foiled

Police seized a large cache of arms and explosives concealed in a seasonal stream.

PESHAWAR/ DI KHAN:

Police foiled a terrorist plot in DI Khan on the first day of Muharram on Sunday when they seized a large cache of arms and explosives concealed in a seasonal stream.

“Mass devastation has been avoided as the police recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition from a rainwater drain in Parowa tehsil,” said Dera Circle DIG Abdul Ghafoor Afridi. “The seized equipment could have potentially been used for attacks on processions during Muharram,” he told the media during a news conference at Police Lines. “Had the militants been successful, the resultant attacks could have caused a large number of casualties.”



Acting on intelligence, the police seized 45kg of explosive material, 30 non-electric detonators, seven electric detonators, one timer, four receiver boxes, 12 test lights, a 40-metre prima card, 30 safety fuses, two hand grenades, a RPG-7 and 30 heavy machine gun cartridges.

Replying to a question, the DIG said a banned organisation was involved and some key suspects would be arrested in the coming days. An FIR against the incident was lodged at the Gomal police station.

Afridi said there was no room for complacency and the police would remain extra-vigilant to prevent any untoward incident in Muharram, especially during Ashura processions and gatherings.

He said foolproof arrangements had been made to maintain peace and mobile phone services would be suspended on the 9th and 10th of Muharram.

The DIG added pillion riding was banned, but there was no plan to impose a curfew in the city. He said the situation was fully under control with the heavy deployment of law enforcement personnel at processions routes and exit and entry points of the city.

Over 100 raids were conducted in the span of four to five days, leading to the arrests of 16 proclaimed offenders. The official also revealed that 29 operations had been carried out in the restive tehsil of Kulachi.

“There is no categorisation of good or bad Taliban,” he stressed. “Anyone violating the law will be dealt with firmly.”

Answering a query, Afridi said sensitive places such as government installations were fully secure and had been categorised in terms of their vulnerability. He pointed out that police personnel were fully equipped with sophisticated weapons in addition to sniffer dogs at their side.

The DIG lauded the performance of law enforcers, especially the district officer, for his efforts to ensure peace in the district.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27^th, 2014.