The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has arrested two notorious Fitna al-Khwarij terrorist and extortionists of banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
CTD operations chief SSP Syed Irfan Ali Bahadur said on Tuesday that along the Hub River Road near Naval Colony in Karachi, CTD personnel carried out a carefully planned operation.
Acting on intelligence gathered through IBOs, they moved in to intercept two men whose names had long circulated in security circles.
Among them was Ismail Swati, a most wanted militant linked to Fitna al-Khawarij. His name appeared at serial number 87 in the CTD Red Book, a list reserved for the most dangerous suspects. Alongside him was his accomplice, Zahidullah, both unaware that their movements had already been tracked.
The arrest marked the end of a long pursuit. SSP Bahadur revealed that Ismail Swati had been operating as a fundraiser for the TTP, allegedly extorting money from citizens to finance militant activities. In 2023, within the limits of Peerabad, he reportedly demanded money from a man named Abdul Qayyum Kasai. When the demand went unmet, Swati and his associate Abdul Ghani are said to have carried out a fatal attack. Abdul Ghani later died in a police encounter, leaving Swati as a key accused still at large until now.
Investigators also linked Swati to multiple extortion cases in areas including Gulshan-e-Maymar and Saddar’s business district. His connections extended further, as he was known to be a close associate of Kamal Khan, another arrested militant tied to the Swat faction of the TTP.
After the murder case, Swati had fled Karachi and taken refuge in his native village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, managing to evade capture for months. His return to the city, however, proved to be his undoing.
During the operation, CTD officials recovered two pistols and ammunition from the suspects. Cases under the Sindh Arms Act were registered. As interrogation continues, officials believe more names and networks will surface. Teams have already been dispatched across the city, determined to dismantle the remaining links of a dangerous chain.
