By Faizan Khan
LAHORE: Punjab’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) carried out a series of coordinated operations across Lahore, Faisalabad, and Bahawalpur, resulting in the arrest of twelve individuals suspected of maintaining links with India’s intelligence agency, RAW, officials confirmed.
The crackdown came after months of surveillance and an initial detention of a local man, Adil, who reportedly managed a Facebook account operated from India. Adil’s cooperation with investigators proved pivotal, leading authorities to identify the broader network and its members. During searches of the suspects’ residences and hideouts, law enforcement recovered a range of sensitive materials, including photographs and videos of strategic locations, weapons, and explosives.
Among the seized items were images and recordings of a local madrassa and a fair, which investigators say demonstrate the suspects’ reconnaissance and potential targeting of public sites. Authorities also claimed that financial transfers from RAW were traced to the detainees, underscoring the cross-border dimension of the network’s operations.
The individuals taken into custody have been identified as Sikhdiu Singh, Azmat, Faizan, Nadeem, Abrar, Usman, Sarfraz, and Danish from Faisalabad, with authorities asserting that the group had been preparing to carry out activities that threatened public safety and strategic installations across Punjab.
Officials described the arrests as a critical step in Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to disrupt cross-border terrorism and preempt attacks. Investigations are reported to be continuing, with security agencies aiming to map the full extent of the network and uncover any additional collaborators.
The operation reflects heightened vigilance by Punjab’s counter-terrorism authorities amid growing concerns over foreign intelligence involvement in domestic security threats. Authorities have urged the public to remain alert while asserting that all necessary measures were being taken to protect communities from potential terrorist activity.
This operation marks one of the most significant counter-terrorism successes in the region in recent months, signaling a determined effort by Pakistani security forces to confront external interference and safeguard public safety.
