Punjab: Timeline (Terrorist Activities) -2023

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on July 6 arrested seven suspected terrorists allegedly belonging to the outlawed Al-Qaeda and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from different Districts of Punjab, reports ARY News. Explosive materials, mobile phones, weapons, and cash were seized from the possession of terrorists. The CTD carried out intelligence-based operations (IBO) in Rawalpindi, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur and Gujranwala, and arrested seven terrorists, a CTD spokesman said. The arrested terrorists were identified as Abrarul Haq, Abdul Rehman, Umair, Imran, Ashfaq, Ayub and Muawiya, the CTD spokesman added. Read less...

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on July 12 arrested five terrorists belonging to two banned outfits, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), during 81 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in different Districts of Punjab, reports Dawn. According to the CTD spokesman, the Punjab CTD conducted 81 IBOs, in which 83 suspects were interrogated and five terrorists arrested along with weapons, explosives and other prohibited materials. Those arrested were Shobin Khan, Bakht Sher, Tahir, Safder and Khizer, belonging to TTP and LeJ, CTD spokesman said. The arrests were made during IBOs in Lahore, Bahawalpur and Multan Districts, he said and added that 500gm explosives, two detonators, 10 safety fuse, one 30 bore pistol, five bullets, 43 pamphlets of banned organisations, 54 stickers, two flags, two mobile phones and Rs11,995 cash had been recovered from the terrorists. Read less...

Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on July 15, arrested five terrorists belonging to a banned organization (name not stated), identified as Haneef, Syed alias Saido, Tariq, Khalid and Abdul Sattar, in different Intelligence-Based Operations (IBO) conducted in Gujranwala and Multan Districts of the Province, reports Pakistan Today. Afghan identity cards, explosives, detonators, mobile phones and weapons were also recovered from their possession. Read less...

Over 400,000 social media accounts have been exposed for spreading blasphemous content in Pakistan, Samaa TV reported on July 17 quoting a report filed by the cyber-crime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). This revelation came in a report filed by the cyber-crime wing of FIA, and an investigation conducted by the Legal Commission at the Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony in a statement said highly organized campaigns are being conducted on social media platforms to spread blasphemous material against the most revered figures of Islam as well as the national flag. It said such offensive content is being shared through images and videos on specific applications and groups. The Ministry said the primary objective of this trend was to create chaos in Pakistan, destabilize peace and security, and sow seeds of hatred among different religious communities and sects. Read less...

The Corps Commanders’ Conference on July 17 highlighted the availability of sanctuaries to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in “a neighbouring country” as one of the major reasons impacting the security of Pakistan, reports Dawn. The assessment was made at the 258th Corps Commanders’ Conference, held at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, where the participants were briefed in detail about the prevailing internal security environment, according to a statement issued by the military’s media affairs wing. The meeting, presided over by Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, noted that “the sanctuaries and liberty of action available to the terrorists of the proscribed TTP and other groups of that ilk in a neighbouring country and the availability of latest weapons to the terrorists” as major reasons impacting the security of Pakistan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said. Read less...

The journalist Hamid Mir, associated with Geo News, posted a video on his Twitter handle on July 17 reveals the remarks of Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, the Special Assistant on Defence to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in which he admitted that Pakistani smugglers are using drones to smuggle illicit drugs, mostly heroin into Indian territory, reports NDTV. Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan is also the Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) representing Kasur District, which borders the state of Punjab in India. Hamid Mir tweeted "Big disclosure by PM's advisor Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan. Smugglers using drones in the flood-affected areas of Kasur near Pakistan-India border to transport heroin. He demanded a special package for the rehabilitation of the flood victims otherwise victims will join smugglers." In the video clip, Malik Khan is heard saying, "This (Kasur near LOC) is a rangers area. Due to some border regulations, there is some sensitivity." When the journalist asks Malik Khan about the issue of cross-border smuggling of narcotics in Kasur he affirms the development. "Sure, it (smuggling via drone) is happening and it is very unfortunate. Recently there have been two incidents where 10 kg of heroin was tied to each drone and thrown across. Agencies are working on it." Read less...

One prominent lawyer, Ali Qureshi, shot dead by unidentified assailants while he was in his car along with his clerk at the Ghora Chowk in Pindigheb sub-district of Attock District in Punjab on July 19, reports The Express Tribune. His clerk was severely injured. Ali Qureshi was the former general secretary of the Pindigheb Bar Association. Read less...

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on July 27 arrested 10 terrorists during raids in different Districts of Punjab, including Lahore, Attock, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan and others, reports ARY News. Out of 10 terrorists, seven were identified as Azir, Adil, Ramzan, Abdul Rahman, Usman, Asif and Muawiyah, who associated with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Islamic State of Iraq and Syria/Daish (ISIS) and others banned outfits. The CTD spokesperson said landmines, detonators, weapons, maps and copies of important buildings were recovered from the possession of the arrested terrorists. Read less...

The Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on July 28 said it had arrested 17 suspects associated with banned outfits during various intelligence-based operations (IBOs), reports Dawn. According to an official statement by the CTD, officials conducted 132 IBOs in various parts of the province. During these operations, the CTD interrogated 134 suspects, resulting in the arrest of 17. The statement disclosed that two of the arrested suspects were associated with the Ghazi Force of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and were detained in Attock District, adding that they were “planning to target Chinese nationals”. The CTD also said that three suspected TTP terrorists were arrested in Dera Ghazi Khan District, adding that they were reportedly “planning to attack worship places”. The CTD also apprehended a terrorist associated with Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA) who was “planning to target worship place in Lahore”. According to the CTD statement, three other suspects were detained in Gujranwala and Sargodha Districts for possessing banned literature, while eight suspects were found to be sharing “hate material” targeting other sects on social media. Out of the 17 terrorists who were arrested, six were affiliated with the TTP and six with the Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP). Meanwhile, two of the suspects were associated with Daesh, while the remaining three were members of other outfits. According to the CTD, a total of 14 First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered against the arrested suspects in various Police Stations located in Sargodha, DG Khan, Multan, Gujranwala, Pakpattan, Okara, and Rawalpindi Districts. During the operation, the CTD seized a cache of weapons, including four hand grenades, seven detonators, 893 grams of explosives, two 30-bore pistols, three magazines associated with a banned outfit, pamphlets and stickers affiliated with the banned SSP, as well as two mobile phones and a sum of PKR 17,780 in cash. Read less...