Intel agencies foil major terror bid in Lahore planned for Easter

LAHORE: Intelligence agencies have successfully foiled a major terrorist attack in Lahore planned for Easter, the ISPR said Saturday.

According to a press release from the he military's media wing, security forces conducted a special intelligence-based operation near the Punjab Housing Societies in Lahore.

A terrorist was killed while a female suspect was arrested in the operation. Four soldiers including two officers were injured, while suicide jackets and explosive material was recovered from the suspects.

Christian religious festival Easter will be observed in Pakistan on April 16 (Sunday).

ISPR handout photo

The successful intelligence-based operation comes a day after three soldiers were martyred and at least nine terrorists killed in a joint operation by Punjab Rangers, Counter-Terrorism Department and intelligence agencies near Dera Ghazi Khan.

The joint operation was carried out against "terrorists affiliated with TTP and their facilitators/hardened criminals holed up in a hideout in Basti Dadwani near Choti Zerin, 15 Km South of DG Khan early morning today", the ISPR said.

Three Pakistan Rangers soldiers – Havaldar Asif, Sepoy Aftab, and Sepoy Azizullah – were martyred in the exchange of fire, while two injured soldiers sustained injuries.

In a separate joint combing operation late Friday, police and security agencies killed a terrorist and apprehended three of his accomplices in Lahore.

Sources said that police, security and intelligence agencies conducted the joint combing operation in Lahore's Factory Area.

Officials seized a suicide vest, detonators, and arms from the apprehended terrorists in the hour-long operation.