ISLAMABAD, Jan 4 (FD): The Islamabad police in association with intelligence agencies on Wednesday arrested more than 10 terrorists who were planning suicide attacks.
Sources told Dunya News the arrested terrorists belonged to a banned militant outfit and that their network stretched across the country.
Sources further said the arrests followed investigation into a suicide blast in the federal capital few days ago.
On Dec 23, 2022, a policeman was martyred and two suspected terrorists were killed in a suicide blast in the I-10 sector of the federal capital on Friday, confirmed Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.
The minister, in a statement, said a man and a woman were in a vehicle which entered Islamabad from Rawalpindi on Friday morning. A team of the Eagle Squad stopped it for snap checking when the two suspects blew up the car which was laden with explosive material. He said the terrorists aimed at hiting some “high-value targets” in the capital city.
Mr Sanaullah said six people, including four policemen, were injured in the incident, adding that the injured personnel were out of danger and being treated at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
Earlier, DIG Operations Sohail Zafar Chattah told media that personnel of the Eagle Squad stopped a suspected cab for checking when it exploded. He said a policeman, identified as Adil Hussain, and six people, including four cops, were injured in the incident. He said the timely action by police had saved the capital city from a major incident.
Rescues officials shifted the injured policemen to the PIMS where a state of emergency had been declared.
Following the blast, security has been beefed up in Islamabad and Rawalpindi while checking at exit and entry points of the cities also has been made stricter.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has strongly condemned the explosion in the capital city. He has sought a detailed report on the incident from authorities. The premier also paid a tribute to the police officers for failing the nefarious design of the terrorists.
The prime minister paid homage to the martyred Police Constable Adeel Hussain. He said the entire nation salutes their valiant police personnel, who sacrificed lives and stopped the terrorists. He said the nation will continue its fight against complete elimination of terrorism.
The prime minister also expressed sympathies with the injured and directed to provide best treatment facilities to them. He also directed the IG Police to confer awards on the police personnel for their extraordinary bravery.
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, former president Asif Ali Zardari, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and others have also condemned the incident.
Meanwhile, the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) has claimed responsbility for the suicide blast in the federal capital.
The incident comes as Pakistan witnessed resurgence in the terror activities after the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) withdrew from the ceasefire agreement.
In November last, a suicide bomb blast struck a police vehicle in Quetta, killing at least one police officer and two civilians and wounding dozens. The TTP had claimed responsibility for the’s attack, two days after announcing an end to a ceasefire agreed with the Pakistani government in June.
