5 Taliban militants arrested in Pakistan's Punjab province

Lahore: Five Taliban militants, who were plotting to target security installations, have been arrested in Pakistan's Punjab province, officials said on Sunday.

The terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were arrested during intelligence-based operations in three districts of Sheikhupura, D G Khan, and Multan in Punjab.

Suicide jackets, explosives, weapons, banned literature, and cash have been recovered from their possession, according to the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD).

The CTD said the suspected terrorists were planning to target law enforcers and important buildings in Sheikhupura, D G Khan, and Multan districts of Punjab.

The CTD said FIRs have also been registered against them under the anti-terrorism act and other clauses.

Over a week ago, the CTD arrested seven suspected terrorists, mostly belonging to TTP, in Punjab.

The TTP has renewed terror attacks in Pakistan following the end of the ceasefire with the government weeks ago.

Pakistan's top civil and military leaders on Friday met for a National Security Committee (NSC) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the strategy to counter the rising threat of militancy in the country.

The decision to convene the meeting was taken after Army chief General Asim Munir called on Prime Minister Sharif on Thursday to brief him about professional as well as national security matters, according to officials.

Official sources said the meeting discussed the modalities to counter the latest threat by the outlawed TTP and also looked into the cross-border attacks from Afghanistan in the wake of the failure of the interim Taliban government to eliminate the use of its soil for terrorist activities.