Punjab counter-terrorism department personnel raided a militant hideout in Sargodha and arrested seven suspected terrorists belonging to a banned organisation in Sargodha.
CTD sources said the suspects planned to spark sectarian conflict in the country and were plotting the assassination of a local organisation leader in Sargodha. CTD personnel also recovered explosives, hand grenades and arms.
CTD source said there was an exchange of fire between the police and suspects. "The mastermind, Mehmood Iqbal, was running the network from a neighbouring country. The department has approached Interpol to arrest him." The arrested suspects including Musharraf Shahid, Nida Adeel, Aslam, Basharat, and Mohammad Ali.
Last month, the CTD had foiled a possible militant attack on the Islamabad Stock Exchange. Sources added that three terrorists involved in the Rawalpindi bomb blast were also arrested.
A statement issued by the CTD said the militants admitted to carrying out four terrorist attacks in Pakistan and planned to bomb the Islamabad Stock Exchange. It said militant organisations operating from Afghanistan had provided financial support to them. The CTD-Lahore had said that it seized explosives during the operation.
