Five Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent terrorists arrested in Pakistan

Pakistan law enforcement agencies on Monday claimed to have smashed a network of the globally-banned terror group Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) in Punjab province and arrested five terrorists affiliated to it.

According to the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab police, a joint operation of ISI and Counter Terrorism Wing was conducted in the limits of Goth Mazari Tehsil Rojhan in Rajanpur district, some 400kms from Lahore, when the network was shifting from Balochistan province to Rajanpur.

Five important members of the AQIS were arrested in the operation.

"The joint team had been gathering intelligence about the network for last several months. The network was shifting from Balochistan to Rajanpur. They were also planning to launch terrorist attacks on vital installations in south Punjab. When the information was ripe, an intelligence based operation was conducted," a spokesperson of CTD said in a statement.

Suicide jackets, hand grenades, kalashnikov rifles, pistols and ammunition were recovered from the terrorists identified as Ejaz Ali Khan alias Waqas, Saghir Ehtesham, Jabir Ehtasham, Anwer Khan alias Mufti Abdullah and Kamran Zahid alias Asad.

"Investigation has been launched. Important disclosures are expected regarding AQIS network in Pakistan," the spokesperson said, adding that more members of the network are expected to be arrested in the wake of the operation.

AQIS was set up by al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri in 2014 to expand the terror group's influence in the region.