Punjab CTD arrests nine 'terrorists' amid PTI long march
Pakistan
The arrested suspects wanted to target important personalities and government buildings
LAHORE (Dunya News) – The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Punjab claims to have arrested nine alleged terrorists during multiple intelligence based operations (IBO) across the province.
Officials also seized two IEDs, large quantity of explosives, 13 detonators, protective fuse, weapons, bullets and cash from the arrested suspects during seven-week long IBOs.
The arrested suspects have been identified as Azam Khan, Mansoor, Farooq, Shami Pervez, Muhammad Siddique, Abul Manan, Ismail, Abdur Razzaque from Lahore, and Muhammad Bilal.
According to a CTD’s spokesman, the arrested suspects wanted to target important personalities, government buildings and sensitive installations.
A day earlier, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah had asked the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to postpone today (Saturday)’s gathering as former prime minister Imran Khan’s life under threat.
Addressing a press conference in the federal capital, the interior minister said that there are the reports from the agencies that Imran life’s is under threat, adding that there is still time for Imran Khan to postpone his march. He claimed the march is being staged to create the situation of the political stability and economic catastrophe.
Rana claimed that Imran will not get the date of elections from Rawalpindi, adding that the day – November 26 – was fixed for a specific reason for long march. He added that the establishment will not play its role to give him [Imran] date for the elections as now – the matter gets old.
Claiming that Imran Khan cannot be successful by any means, Rana advised Imran to come and sit with the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leadership – Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Akthar Mengal, Khalid Magsi – Nawaz Sharif and PM Shehbaz Sharif.
Rana further said, “If you [Imran] wants to meet with Nawaz and PM Shehbaz, hopefully they would not refuse to meet you. if you need any sort of help in this regard, I will be there for you to help as I am your – political – opponent, not enemy.
Suggesting the PTI chief to come back and be a part of the parliament, Sanaullah said that if he [Imran] is looking for the elections date, so it is better for him to come and sit with the politicians as the decisions could change only when the politicians sit together.
