Punjab CTD arrests 9 suspected terrorists in intelligence-based operations

The Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Monday said it had arrested nine suspects associated with defunct organisations during various intelligence-based operations (IBOs).

According to an official statement by the CTD, officials conducted 70 IBOs in various parts of the province. During these operations, the CTD interrogated 69 suspects, resulting in the arrest of nine.

The statement disclosed that two of the arrested suspects were associated with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and were detained in Lahore.

The CTD also said that a suspected Daesh terrorist was arrested in Faisalabad whereas three suspects associated with Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) were detained in Bahawalnagar and Hafizabad.

The CTD also apprehended two terrorists linked to the extremist group Sipah-e-Sahaba (SSP) in Bahawalpur and Sialkot while a suspect belonging to the outlawed Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) was arrested in Gujranwala.

According to the CTD, a total of eight First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered against the arrested suspects in various police stations located in Lahore, Bahawalpur and Gujranwala.

During the operation, the law enforcers seized a cache of weapons, including two hand grenades, one improvised explosive device, 508g of explosives, seven banned books, one banned magazine, 12 pamphlets of defunct organisations, 44 stickers of defunct organisations, three receipt books, three mobile phones and a sum of Rs131,830 in cash.

The CTD said it conducted 314 “combing operations” with local police and security agencies across the province, which resulted in 47 arrests and the registration of 48 first information reports.

Last week, the department claimed to have arrested 14 suspected militants linked with banned outfits. It said the terrorists had planned to sabotage across the province and wanted to target important installations.