D.I.KHAN: Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has thwarted a planned terrorist attack in Dera Ismail Khan, detaining a woman suspected of preparing for a suicide mission.
According to officials, CTD’s Special Weapons and Tactics teams carried out a raid at Sheikh Yousuf camp, where the suspect was apprehended. Authorities said the woman confessed to having received prolonged training from the late foreign militant commander Shah Wali, also known as Tariq Kochi.
During the operation, law enforcement recovered a commando-style bag containing a pistol, ammunition, two mobile phones, and perfume allegedly intended to mask the scent of explosives. Officials said the suspect had been in contact with a banned outfit through the seized devices.
Investigators revealed that the woman admitted to agreeing to carry out a suicide attack and to wearing a suicide jacket. She reportedly told authorities that a foreign militant commander identified as Asim was expected to assign her the final target.
The suspect has been moved to an undisclosed location as interrogation continues.
The development follows a separate intelligence-based operation in Bannu district, where security forces killed five militants described by officials as belonging to the India-backed “Fitna al-Khwarij.” During that encounter, Lt Col Shahzada Gul Faraz and Sepoy Karamat Shah lost their lives after militants targeted their convoy.
Pakistan has experienced a surge in militant violence since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021, with the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan witnessing a sharp rise in cross-border attacks.
Last month, the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), shared updated security figures. Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry stated that law enforcement agencies conducted 75,175 intelligence-based operations nationwide in 2025. Of these, 14,658 were carried out in KP, 58,778 in Balochistan, and 1,739 in other regions.
He further disclosed that 5,397 terrorist incidents were recorded across the country last year. KP reported 3,811 cases, Balochistan 1,557, while 29 incidents occurred elsewhere in Pakistan.
