Latest news with #CounterTerrorismDepartment
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
CTD foils Eid terror plot, arrests three RAW-linked terrorists
Listen to article Punjab's Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Friday said it foiled a major terror plot by arresting three terrorists in Faisalabad linked to India's intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Express News reported. According to a spokesperson for the CTD, the arrests were made during an intelligence-based operation conducted in Pathan Colony on Jhang Road. The terrorists were planning coordinated attacks in Lahore, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, and Pakpattan during Eidul Azha. The spokesperson said the terrorists were affiliated with the proscribed group Fitna Al-Khawarij and had crossed the border illegally on multiple occasions to meet RAW operatives in Srinagar and Rajasthan. A cache of explosives, detonators, and firearms was recovered from their possession, the CTD said. Read more: Two Indian-sponsored terrorists killed in Balochistan IBO: ISPR Initial investigations suggested that the terrorists were in contact with foreign handlers via WhatsApp, through which they shared sensitive location maps and received instructions, the spokesperson added. The CTD maintained that the terrorists had finalised plans to target key sites during the Eid holidays. A case has been registered in Faisalabad, and further investigation is under way. The spokesperson said the arrests helped avert what could have been large-scale destruction during the festive period, adding that efforts were ongoing to trace additional members of the network.
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First Post
29-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Balochistan families allege ‘fake encounters' as youths go missing, found dead
A fresh surge of alleged fake encounters by Pakistani forces in Balochistan has triggered widespread anger. Rights activists say security agencies are killing detainees and disguising the deaths as armed clashes. read more A fresh wave of suspected fake encounters in Balochistan by Pakistani forces has sparked public outrage in the country's restive province. Baloch rights activists have accused security forces of killing three people in custody and staging the incidents to appear as armed clashes. The three deceased have been identified as Abdul Rehman Buzdar, Fareed Buzdar, and Sultan Marri. Their mortal remains were later shifted to the Basic Health Unit hospital in Rakhi. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed on Monday that it had killed three militants in an operation in Barkhan district. However, families and Baloch rights groups rejected the claim, stating that the men had been missing for months and were victims of enforced disappearance. Activists alleged that 'the men were executed after being held in illegal detention.' Earlier, a spokesperson for Pakistan's CTD claimed that the men died during an exchange of fire and that weapons had been recovered from the scene. However, Pakistan has long presented such narratives, while its agencies and forces are frequently accused of committing human rights violations, including enforced disappearances. In another incident, a young man named Ghaus Bakhsh was found dead in the Kolwah tehsil of Awaran district. He had reportedly been summoned to a nearby military camp, and his body was discovered a few hours later, bearing signs of torture. Pakistan continues to suppress the Baloch insurgency and calls for independence through enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the crackdown on peaceful protests. In March 2025 alone, the Human Rights Council of Balochistan documented 151 enforced disappearances and 80 killings, highlighting a sharp escalation in violence and repression.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Families allege ‘fake encounter' after three missing men found dead in Balochistan
A fresh wave of suspected fake encounters in Balochistan has led to public anger, as rights activists accuse security forces of killing people in custody and staging the events to look like clashes. Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Monday claimed it had killed three militants in an operation in the Tang Kiryar area of Barkhan district. The bodies of Abdul Rehman Buzdar, Fareed Buzdar, and Sultan Marri were later shifted to the Basic Health Unit hospital in Rakni. However, the families of the deceased and Baloch rights groups strongly disputed the official account. They said all three had been missing for months, victims of enforced disappearance, and insisted the encounter was fake. The activists alleged that "the men were executed after being kept in illegal detention.' A CTD spokesperson said that the men died during an exchange of fire and that weapons were recovered from the scene. But this version of events has been widely rejected. In a separate incident, another youth, Ghaus Bakhsh, was found dead in Awaran district's Kolwah tehsil. He had reportedly been summoned to a nearby military camp, and his body was discovered just hours later, bearing visible signs of torture. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning For Working Professionals. BITS Pilani WILP Apply Now Undo This added to growing suspicions of custodial killings. The Balochistan Post reported both incidents, saying the deaths follow a pattern seen in other districts such as Dukki, Ziarat and Quetta. In those cases too, individuals who had previously gone missing later turned up dead in what were officially described as security operations. Human rights groups and Baloch activists say these cases point to a disturbing trend of state-led violence. They are calling for independent investigations and international attention to ensure accountability. 'This is part of a systematic campaign,' said one rights campaigner. 'There needs to be an end to the impunity," they added.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Human rights groups alarmed over fresh extrajudicial killing claims in Balochistan
Pakistan's Balochistan province (Image credits: ANI) Fresh allegations of extrajudicial killings have surfaced in Pakistan's Balochistan province, as three previously missing persons were reportedly killed in what is being widely condemned as a staged encounter by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in Barkhan district. In a separate but related development, another youth was found dead under suspicious circumstances in Awaran after allegedly being summoned by security forces. According to a report by The Balochistan Post, cited by news agency ANI, the CTD claimed to have carried out an operation early Monday morning in the Tang Kiryar area of Barkhan. The bodies of Abdul Rehman Buzdar, Fareed Buzdar, and Sultan Marri, who had allegedly been subjected to enforced disappearance for several months, were later transferred to the Basic Health Unit (BHU) hospital in Rakni. A CTD spokesperson said that the operation involved an exchange of fire with militants, resulting in fatalities and the recovery of weapons. A claim that the families of the victims rejected, alleging that the encounter was staged and the men were executed after prolonged illegal detention. Meanwhile, in Kolwah tehsil of Awaran district, the body of a young man, Ghaus Bakhsh, was discovered bearing signs of torture. He was found dead just hours after reportedly being summoned to a local military camp, further fueling suspicions of custodial killing. Human rights organizations say these incidents reflect a deepening pattern of state-led violence in Balochistan. Similar cases have been reported in other districts, including Dukki, Ziarat, and Quetta, where individuals who had previously disappeared were later killed in what were described as disputed security operations. Baloch activists argue that the increasing number of such cases points to a systematic campaign of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. They are demanding independent investigations and international attention to end what they call a culture of impunity.
Express Tribune
24-04-2025
- Express Tribune
Repeat offenders to wear GPS-enabled bands
The Punjab Home Department has launched an electronic tracking program to closely monitor habitual offenders province-wide. In a meeting led by Home Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal, officials agreed that individuals listed in the Fourth Schedule of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and repeat offenders will wear GPS-enabled bands for continuous surveillance. A total of 1,500 tracking devices have been procured: 900 will be deployed by the Counter Terrorism Department, 500 by the newly formed Crime Control Department, and 100 by the Parole Department. Mengal directed the import of cutting-edge tracking technology, including micro chips, following expert recommendations to ensure uninterrupted monitoring of high-risk individuals. Special Home Secretary Fazalur Rehman, Additional IG Crime Control Department Suhail Zafar Chatha, DIG Operations Punjab Waqas?Nazeer, Additional Police Secretary Dr Zeeshan?Hanif, and law and finance representatives attended the meeting. A Home Department spokesperson stated that this initiative brings Punjab's crime-monitoring infrastructure in line with global standards. By tracking the movements of recidivist criminals, authorities aim to deter offences before they occur .
