KARACHI: The Sindh Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Monday announced that a major terrorist attack in Karachi had been successfully foiled following a joint intelligence-based operation.
Speaking at a press conference in Karachi alongside CTD Additional Inspector General Zulfiqar Ali Larik, CTD Deputy Inspector General Ghulam Azfar Mahesar said law enforcement agencies, in coordination with the country’s premier intelligence agency, received credible information about a planned terrorist attack aimed at destabilising national security.
Mahesar said the terrorists intended to strike specific targets in the metropolis. Acting on the intelligence, a coordinated strategy was devised involving the Intelligence Bureau, Special Branch, and CTD units of Sindh and Balochistan, with a particular focus on Karachi’s western districts.
After days of surveillance and intelligence gathering, officials traced a terrorist hideout in Raees Goth, where a large cache of explosives had been prepared. A joint raid by the Sindh CTD and the premier intelligence agency led to the arrest of one terrorist, while three to four others managed to flee. A search operation was subsequently launched to apprehend the escapees.
During the raid, authorities recovered a Mazda truck loaded with explosive material, including 30 drums and five cylinders filled with explosives, detonators, and a total of approximately 2,000 kilograms of explosives.
Further raids were conducted at six additional locations based on information obtained from the arrested suspect, resulting in the arrest of two more terrorists and the recovery of more explosive material. In total, three terrorists were taken into custody.
According to Mahesar, initial interrogation revealed that the suspects were linked to the Bashir Zeb network of the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its Majeed Brigade. He said the planning of the attack was carried out from outside the country, and facilitators and handlers involved in the network had been identified.
Mahesar said multiple teams were conducting raids to arrest remaining suspects, adding that the seized explosives were “ready to go” and consisted of a mix of commercial and smuggled materials, some of which had been transported through Balochistan’s mountainous regions.
He termed the operation a major achievement by all participating agencies and said further details would be shared as the investigation progressed.
