At least five suspected terrorists affiliated with al Qaeda’s Afzal Group were killed in an encounter with security forces in Nawab Town area late on Tuesday night.
Police said they recovered heavy ammunition and maps of various places including Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park from the possession of the dead terrorists.
An FIR has been lodged in Choohng Police Station against terrorists under sections including provisions of Anti Terrorist Act.
The operation comes in the wake of Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park bombing which left over 70 dead and more than 300 injured.
As per contents of the FIR, the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) acting on intelligence based information raided a house located in Bilal Town near LDA Avenue. The miscreants, howeve, opened fire on the police party. The FIR said the police told terrorists on loud speaker to surrender themselves as they had been surrounded. However, the terrorists opened fire.
“Police had already taken safe position before the terrorists opened fire,” the FIR read.
FIR further said that an intense exchange of fire with terrorist lasted for over 75 minutes and ended with the death of four terrorists on the spot while one died on the way to Jinnah hospital.
Two or three terrorists managed to flee during the course of the firing. Police have been searching for them in nearby areas.
The suspected terrorists were identified as Khan Wahid of Peshawar, Nasir Iqbal of Sharqpur, Nadeem Iqbal of Sabzazar, Qari Saqib and Junaid Zahoor of Abbottabad.
A spokesman for CIA police said the terrorists were involved in attacking an army camp in Gujrat, killing 9 people in separate incidents, attacking Kakul Military Academy and were also involved in targeting army officers in Peshawar.
“They were also involved in attacking Ahmadi places of worship, were involved in the kidnapping of Dr Warren Weinstein and two other foreigners working for NGOs,” said the police spokesman.
The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) had declared Qari Saqib and Junaid Zahoor as proclaimed offenders in several terrorism related cases and had announced head money of Rs 1.5 million for information leading to his arrest.
The police spokesman also gave details of arms and ammunition seized from the suspected terrorists, which included two AK-47 assault rifles, two pistols, 10 hand grenades, timing devices and explosives material for use in terror activities.
Law enforcement agencies in Punjab are launching a province-wide crackdown on terror suspects in the wake of the horrific Iqbal Park bombing earlier.
