*LAHORE:* Punjab’s counter-terrorism department (CTD) and the IntelligenceBureau (IB) have jointly busted the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)’s“biggest network” in the province, media *reportslink>* claim.
The network had reportedly carried out two major deadly suicide attack inthe province. One on army personnel on Bedian Road in July and the secondin which they targeted policemen on Ferozepur Road near Arfa Karim Town inApril 2017. The militants for the operations were dispatched by the TTPleadership from a madrassa located at Gajjumata near Ferozepur Road.
The Joint Operation Teams (JOTs) of the CTD and IB arrested six TTPmilitants in raids carried across the province.
During interrogation, the militants made startling revelations saying thatthe TTP men had allegedly been behind the killing of Inter ServicesIntelligence (ISI) Brigadier Zahoor Fazal Qadri and his brother in Sargodhain 2004. They were also behind the killing of Dr Siftullah in Dera IsmailKhan.
The arrests of these militants is being considered as a great breakthroughby the high-command of the law enforcement agencies.
Huge technical means and human resources had been used to unearth thenetwork in Punjab. The large scale TTP reorganisation across the provincethrough local handlers had baffled the law enforcement agencies.
TTP leadership in Afghanistan had provided the terrorists in Punjab a hugeamount of “token money” to hit the target with the rest promised after theattacks are carried out.
It was also discovered on March 9 that a network had been launched totarget the Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches being held in Lahore onMarch 20 and 21. Following this discovery, the joint team raided a place inthe outskirts of Lahore from where they recovered a suicide jacket and somevery important evidence including maps of targeted places.
The evidence also pointed towards the support of local elements.
JOTs of the CTD-IB were activated all across Punjab to ensure the safety ofthe PSL matches and ensure the arrest of the militants. On March 20, theteam on a tip off conducted a raid in Gujranwala from where they discoveredmore evidence. And finally, on March 29, the team managed to nab sixmilitants from their hideout in a seminary, Ashaab-i-Suffa, at Gajjumata,Lahore.
The alleged militants included Islamul Haq, Jehangir Shah, Imran alias Iranof Shangla, Swat, Waqarul Amin alias Qari of Haripur, KP, Aleemur Rehman ofKasur and Muhammad Luqman of Narowal.
Luqman had supposedly sworn to blow himself up at the Gaddafi Stadium tosabotage the PSL matches, or as a second option, in Narowal, but hishandlers were on the run and could not launch him at that time.
The agencies have initiated a vigorous hunt across the province on thebasis of the intelligence reports and the information gathered from themilitants in custody.