Three suspects arrested as surveillance helps foil terror plan in Karachi: CTD

WEB DESK: Security agencies have foiled a major terrorist plot in Karachi with the recovery of more than four tonnes of explosive material during a covert operation in the Baldia Town area, senior Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) officials said on Monday. Addressing a press conference, Additional Inspector General CTD Zulfiqar Lark and DIG CTD retired Captain Ghulam Azfar Mahesar said the operation was the result of several days and nights of sustained intelligence-led surveillance.

The arrested suspects were identified as Jaleel Ahmed alias Fareed, son of Muhammad Noor; Niaz Qadir alias King, son of Qadir Bakhsh; and Hamdan alias Fareed, son of Muhammad Ali. The officials said continuous monitoring and heightened vigilance by law enforcement agencies helped expose the terror plan before it could be executed.

They said one terrorist was arrested initially, and his interrogation led to further breakthroughs, including the arrest of two more suspects late Sunday night.

According to the CTD, the explosives, stored in more than 30 plastic drums along with five metal gas cylinders, were safely transported out of the city and neutralised in the Hub area. Officials said the seizure of over 2,000 kilograms of high-grade explosive material had potentially saved countless lives, as the terrorists were planning attacks on civilian targets in Karachi.

The CTD leadership said the suspects had rented a house around 35 to 40 kilometres outside Karachi, from where they were operating. Human and technical intelligence resources were used to track the network, while the operation was kept strictly confidential to avoid public panic. Bomb disposal experts carefully assessed booby traps and other risks during the raid, they added.

Sharing preliminary investigation findings, the officials said the explosive material had been transported from Afghanistan through Balochistan before reaching Karachi. Evidence suggested that the network was being operated from neighbouring countries and was linked to terrorist groups working against Indian interests. They alleged that Indian proxy outfits, including the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), were using safe havens in Afghanistan.

The CTD also claimed the network had links to BLA commander Bashir Zeb, the Majid Brigade and what it termed “Fitna-e-Hindustan”. The officials noted that urea-based explosives are commonly used in terror attacks and said dismantling the supply chain of such materials remained a top priority.

They further warned that local facilitators often assist terrorists in exchange for small financial gains, while rented residential properties are used for hiding and manufacturing explosives. Stressing the need for stricter monitoring, the CTD called for tighter scrutiny of rental agreements and stronger enforcement of laws governing the sale and use of urea and other chemicals.

The officials reaffirmed that law enforcement and intelligence agencies were fully committed to eliminating terrorism and said all those involved in the foiled plot were being pursued, with further details to be shared as investigations progressed.