Punjab: Timeline (Terrorist Activities) -2023

The Samma TV quoting the Punjab Police’s official documents reported on March 2 that the counter-terrorism authorities have arrested over 170 most-wanted terrorists in a series of covert operations spanning over 11 months across Punjab. Samma TV’s investigation unit gained access to official documents, which revealed that the Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) launched covert operations against operatives of the Islamic State (IS), Al-Qaeda, Islamic State-Khorasan and other local militant groups last year. Several terrorists were gunned down in these operations, revealed the CTD officials. As per the documents, 22 Al-Qaeda members were arrested in south Punjab in 40 operations. The authorities also arrested 41 terrorists of the IS in 35 operations, while intelligence-based operations also resulted in the arrest of four operators of the IS-Khorasan. The CTD teams also arrested 89 operatives of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) during these operations conducted in different cities of Punjab. Among those arrested were also 10 members of the TTP Ghazi group, eight operatives of the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, and one belonging to the 313 Brigade. Read less...

On March 4, Punjab Police’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested eight militants, five militants from Sargodha District and three form Lahore District belonging to banned outfits in separate raids, reports Dawn. During raids, explosives and detonators were also seized. The CTD said that 382 combing operations were conducted this week in which 59 suspects were arrested. Read less...

The Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested 12 suspected terrorists, belonging to the Al-Qaeda and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), it said in a statement released on March 10, reports Dawn.The statement added that they were arrested during a “covert operation” from three cities of the province, including Lahore, from where three “terrorists” were arrested “nearby a sensitive area”. The CTD spokesperson said the “terrorist network wanted to conduct subversive activities in sensitive districts”. Explosives and material used to make suicide jackets were also recovered from the alleged terrorists, the statement added. Read less...

The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested 11 suspected terrorists during intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in various Districts of Punjab on March 17, reports Samaa TV. The CTD spokesman said that the arrested terrorists were associated with proscribed outfits. At least 55 IBOs were conducted in different Districts of the province to effectively deal with any untoward incident of terrorism, in which 56 suspected persons were interrogated and 11 alleged terrorists were arrested with weapons, explosives, and other prohibited materials. Among the arrested terrorists, three were cadres of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), namely Najibullah, Muhammad Tahir, and Abdul Sami, one was cadre of Tehreek Jafaria Muhammad Aftab, four cadres of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) namely Kaleemullah, Manzoor Khan, Niaz Muhammad and Muhammad Zubair, two cadres of Sipah Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), identified as Muhammad Hussain Muawiya and Muhammad Daniyal. The spokesman added that 883 grams of explosives, seven detonators, one hand grenade, 14 feet of safety fuse wire, two feet of prima cord, two leaflets of banned organizations, two receipt boxes, 122 stickers, 92 pamphlets, two flags of a banned outfit and 35290 rupees in cash have been recovered from the terrorists. Read less...