Pakistan police thwart terror plot; arrest 7 terrorists, including 2 ISIS commanders, in Punjab province

Lahore, September 4

Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies have foiled a major terror plot by arresting seven suspected terrorists, including two key commanders of the Islamic State (ISIS), in the country’s Punjab province, police claimed on Monday.

The terrorists were arrested by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab police during several intelligence-based operations conducted in different districts of the province.

“The CTD conducted 49 intelligence-based operations across the province during which seven suspected terrorists belonging to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi including two commanders of ISIS, Shahid Hussain and Siaful Din were arrested,” the CTD spokesperson said.

“Both the commanders were operating in Punjab,” he said.

The spokesman said the terrorists had planned to target important installations and other places across the province.

The police have registered six cases against them.

Police have also recovered 3,100 grams of explosives, 14 detonators, 10 feet of protective fuse wire, banned literature, cell phones and cash from them.

Last Saturday, the CTD arrested five women terrorists of the militant group ISIS in the cities of Lahore and Sheikhupura of Punjab province.

“The CTD teams raided the hideouts of the Daesh women and arrested three in Lahore and two in Sheikhupura (some 50 kms from Lahore),” the CTD said.

Weapons, cash, banned literature and cell phones were also recovered from them.

“The women are active members of Daesh and involved in terror activities in the country,” it said.

Last month, the CTD arrested over 20 terrorists from banned organisations during operations in different areas of Punjab.