- Counterterrorism Department carries out 415 IBOs in various districts across Punjab
LAHORE: The Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Saturday claimed to have foiled a “major terror plot” and arrested 34 terrorists belonging to banned organizations during 415 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) conducted across the province.
A CTD spokesperson, in a statement issued here, informed that two “dangerous terrorists affiliated with Fitna al Khawarij” were arrested from Lahore along with explosives.
Fitna al-Khawarij is a term designated for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) by the government.
“Punjab CTD conducted 415 IBOs in different districts of the province to effectively deal with any untoward incident of terrorism,” the statement stated, adding 420 suspects were questioned during the operations and 34 terrorists were arrested along with weapons, explosives and other prohibited materials.
The terrorists were identified as Muhammad Ashfaq, Ismail Khan, Naseerullah, Irshad, Saqib, Shoaib, Muhammad Usman, Muhammad Adeel, Muhammad Ki Naam, Muhammad Suleman, Hamza Tariq, Qazi Khan and Sakhi Zaman.
The spokesperson also said that the terrorists were affiliated with Fitna al-Khawarij and other banned organisations, adding that the IBOs were conducted in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Jhelum, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Narowal, Jhelum, Pakpattan, Bahawalnagar, Bukhara, Kasur and Nankana Sahib.
The CTD recovered 5,841 grams of explosives, 19 detonators, 51 feet of safety fuse wire, one grenade, pamphlets, cash and mobile phones.
The statement further said that the terrorists had planned to target important buildings in different cities, adding that 23 cases had been registered against the terrorists, and further investigation was underway.
It added that 5,045 combing operations were conducted in May with the cooperation of local police and security agencies, 209,518 people were checked, 604 suspects were arrested, 561 FIRs were registered, and 456 recoveries were made.
The statement said that Punjab CTD was “diligently pursuing its goal of a safe Punjab and no stone will be left unturned in its efforts to bring terrorists and anti-state elements behind bars.”
Pakistan has been grappling with an alarming surge in terror activities, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.
The country ranked second in the Global Terrorism Index 2025, with the number of deaths in terrorist attacks rising by 45 percent over the past year to 1,081.
Last month, the law enforcement agency foiled major attacks by arresting 10 terrorists belonging to banned organisations during 189 operations in different areas of Punjab.
