Punjab CTD Arrests 13 Suspected Terrorists in IB Operations

News Desk

LAHORE: In a major counter-terrorism breakthrough, the Punjab Police’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested at least 13 suspected terrorists during multiple intelligence-based operations (IBOs) conducted across various districts of the Punjab province.

The operations, executed over the last 24 hours, aimed to thwart potential terror plots targeting key installations and public spaces amid heightened security alerts nationwide.

According to a CTD spokesperson, the law enforcement agency conducted dozens of surveillance operations in Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur, and Rawalpindi.

During these raids, security personnel recovered explosive materials, detonators, hand grenades, and banned literature from the possession of the detained suspects.

Officials confirmed that the arrested individuals belong to proscribed outfits, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Daesh (ISIS), who were planning to execute subversive activities in major urban centers.

These arrests come at a critical juncture as Pakistan faces a resurgence of militant violence, particularly in its northwestern and southwestern regions.

The successful operations in Punjab underscore the persistent threat of sleeper cells operating within the country’s most populous province.

Security analysts suggest that maintaining rigorous vigilance and proactive intelligence-sharing remains vital to safeguarding national security and protecting foreign investments, particularly those linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The CTD has registered cases against the suspects under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and shifted them to undisclosed locations for further interrogation.

Joint investigation teams are being formed to trace their local facilitators and financial networks. Law enforcement agencies have vowed to continue their crackdown until the remnants of these extremist networks are completely dismantled.