ISLAMABAD (PEN) : Punjab’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has thwarted a significant terror operation during a province-wide crackdown, arresting *six individuals allegedly linked to India’s Research & Analysis Wing (RAW)*, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
The operation, named *”Yalghar”, targeted multiple districts across Punjab and led to the recovery of explosives, detonators, and confidential maps aimed at facilitating planned attacks on sensitive locations, including a mosque and a railway station in Bahawalpur*.
RAW Affiliations and Arrest Details
During a press briefing in Lahore, *Punjab AIG Operations Shehzada Sultan, alongside **SSP CTD Operations Waqar Azim, stated that suspects **Aslam and Akbar Ali* were arrested in Bahawalnagar while reportedly receiving explosives from India’s *Border Security Force (BSF)*.
According to officials, the arrested suspects maintained direct communication with *RAW officers Major Ravindra Rathore and Inspector Singh*.
Further arrests included:
Azam alias Jaji
Manzoor alias Qari* (both from Bahawalnagar)
Amjad* from Pakpattan
These individuals were apprehended in *Toba Tek Singh*.
A key *facilitator named Zulfiqar, allegedly funding the operations from **Dubai*, was also detained in Bahawalpur.
Evidence and Confessions
Authorities reported the recovery of:
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)
Safety fuses
Confidential documents and maps
The suspects confessed to plans of executing attacks under the direction of Indian handlers. Officials also intercepted *audio recordings* of communications between the operatives and foreign intelligence contacts, discussing *targeted killings* and potential strikes on critical infrastructure.
“India is attempting to destabilise Pakistan through such acts of terrorism, but our agencies remain fully alert,” said AIG Shehzada Sultan.
Rising Terror Threats Amidst National Security Concerns
The arrests come amid an increase in militant activity across Pakistan. According to the *Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), **May 2025* witnessed *85 militant attacks, up from 81 in April, resulting in 113 fatalities* and *182 injuries*.
Key figures from May include:
52 security personnel* and *46 civilians* killed
130 civilians* and *47 security personnel* injured
A *145% rise* in civilian injuries compared to April
The month also saw *a 78% increase in security personnel fatalities* and a significant drop in militant deaths.
