KARACHI: Law enforcement agencies have foiled a major terrorist plot in Karachi after recovering more than two tonnes of explosives during a Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) operation in the city’s Raees Goth area, CTD Deputy Inspector General Ghulam Azfar Mahesar said on Monday.
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Briefing the media alongside CTD Additional Inspector General Zulfiqar Larik, DIG Mahesar said a truck, over 30 large drums and five cylinders filled with explosives were seized during the raid.
He said more than 2,000 kilogrammes of explosives were recovered and three suspected terrorists were arrested in the operation. The explosives were later defused, preventing what authorities described as a planned large-scale terrorist attack in Karachi.
According to the CTD, the arrested suspects are linked to Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) commander Bashir. DIG Mahesar said both commercial-grade and other types of explosives were recovered, which had been transported through multiple routes and stockpiled at the location.
He added that the planning for the foiled attack had been carried out abroad, highlighting the transnational nature of the terror network involved.
The operation comes amid ongoing nationwide counterterrorism efforts as Pakistan continues to face security challenges following an uptick in militant activity since the Afghan Taliban’s return to power in Kabul.
Despite a reported 17% decline in terrorist attacks in December 2025 and a 9% drop in November, the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) noted that overall violence in 2025 rose by 34%, making it the most violent year for the country in a decade.
The CRSS report said Pakistan has witnessed a sustained escalation in violence for five consecutive years since 2021. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bore the brunt of the attacks in 2025, accounting for over 96% of total fatalities and nearly 93% of recorded violent incidents.
Sindh reported 51 terror-related incidents in 2025, resulting in 56 fatalities and 40 injuries, representing 1.73% of the nationwide total. Overall, around 2,060 deaths were recorded during at least 392 security operations, with militants accounting for more than 60% of the fatalities.
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Karachi, CTD, terror plot, explosives recovery, BLA, counterterrorism, Pakistan security, law enforcement
