BAHAWALPUR-The Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department thwarted a terrorism plan here in the district and arrested five terrorists belonging to defunct organisation Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan/ Al-Qaeda.
The CTD also seized suicide jackets, hand-grenades, explosives and other weapons during the Intelligence based operation (IBO).
According to sources, the Counter-Terrorism Department was tipped off that terrorists of banned organisations were planning attack on the office of a "sensitive agency" and other installations of the Law Enforcement Agencies in Bahawalpur.
Acting swiftly on the tip-off, the CTD teams conducted an operation in the remit of Bahawalpur Saddr and arrested five terrorists. The terrorists belong to outlawed organisations TTP and Al-Qaeda were identified as Muhammad Tariq, Azhar Saeed, Hafiz Sajjad, Dawood Nazir, and Qaiser Hanif.
The lawmen also recovered suicide jackets, hand grenades, detonators and other weaponry along with money being used to fund terror activities from their possession.
According to CTD spokesperson, this network was sent here by AQIS (Al-Qaeda Indian Subcontinent) to cause disturbance in South Punjab through attacks on the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs). He informed that these terrorists originally belonged to TTP but crossed over to AQIS couple of years back.
The spokesperson pointed out that these terrorists had been facilitating other high profile terrorists of AQIS while travelling through Pakistan through shelter and funds.
"They have been financing terrorism as well," the CTD spokesperson revealed. The terrorists have been shifted to an undisclosed location for further investigation.