The Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Saturday foiled a major terror plot and arrested 13 terrorists linked to banned organisations during intelligence-based operations conducted across Punjab over the past week.
According to a CTD spokesperson, authorities carried out 58 intelligence-based operations in multiple districts, including Lahore, Jhang, Sahiwal, Jhelum, Chiniot, Mandi Bahauddin, and Mianwali to prevent possible terrorist activities.
During the operations, 58 individuals were interrogated, while 13 terrorists were taken into custody. Security officials also recovered weapons, explosives, detonators, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), banned literature, mobile phones, prima cards, and cash from the arrested men.
The CTD said the arrested terrorists were affiliated with Fitna al Khawarij — a term used by the Pakistani state for members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — along with other outlawed groups.
Among those arrested was Mukhtar Ahmed, who was apprehended in Lahore with a large quantity of explosives.
According to the department, authorities recovered more than two kilograms of explosives, eight detonators, safety fuse wire, and four IEDs during the raids. The terrorists were planning attacks on law enforcement offices, the spokesperson added.
The CTD confirmed that 13 terrorism cases had been registered against the arrested individuals, while investigations were continuing.
Separately, the department stated that in coordination with local police and other security agencies, it conducted 1,487 combing operations across Punjab. During those operations, more than 53,000 individuals were checked, 168 people were arrested, 153 FIRs were registered, and 150 recoveries were made.
Earlier this year, the CTD reported several counterterrorism crackdowns, including the arrest of 36 terrorists in March and 26 others in February during province-wide operations.