Security forces and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police have arrested an Afghan national accused of planning terrorist attacks inside Pakistan during a joint intelligence-based operation in Tirah Valley, Additional Inspector General Abbas Ahsan said on Wednesday.
The suspect, identified as Hikmatullah alias Hamza, son of Noor Mohammad, was arrested on November 7. Addressing a press conference in Peshawar alongside Information Secretary Mahmood Jan Babar, Ahsan said intelligence gathered through human sources, electronic surveillance and other resources helped authorities locate and apprehend him.
Suspect Allegedly Received Military and Commando Training
According to Ahsan, the suspect belonged to the Chamkaniye area of Mangiyar village in Afghanistan’s Paktia province. He had previously served in the former Afghan National Army, where he allegedly received three months of military training followed by three months of commando training.
The additional IG said that after the Afghan army was dissolved, Hikmatullah used his military experience at different madrasas, resumed training activities and established contacts to facilitate terrorist attacks in Pakistan.
Ahsan further alleged that the suspect had prepared a suicide bomber named Akrama, whom he had trained at the Khalid bin Waleed madrassa near Jalalabad, Afghanistan.
Alleged Links With Gul Bahadur Group
The police official also claimed that Hikmatullah had links with the former Gul Bahadur militant group and had previously worked as a security guard for one of its commanders, identified as Mansoor.
According to Ahsan, interrogation revealed information about the suspect’s facilitators in Pakistan and Afghanistan, his training locations and places where attacks had allegedly been planned.
Authorities are investigating the network to identify other individuals suspected of supporting the alleged activities.
Police Release Suspect’s Video Statement
During the press conference, officials played a video statement attributed to the arrested man.
In the recording, Hamza said he had studied under a religious scholar for a year before beginning work as a madrassa teacher. He also claimed that he had met Akrama in Jalalabad and prepared him for a suicide attack.
The suspect further said that he had sustained injuries during the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan and was receiving medical treatment in Pakistan.
The statement was presented by officials as part of the information gathered during the investigation. Its claims have not been independently verified.
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KP Officials Accuse Afghan Territory of Being Used for Attacks
Mahmood Jan Babar said Afghan territory was being used by militants to plan and facilitate attacks inside Pakistan. He alleged that individuals crossed into the country under the cover of darkness to carry out terrorist activities.
Babar described the arrest as an achievement for Pakistan’s security institutions and said law enforcement agencies were continuing operations against militant networks.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban authorities of allowing the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to operate from Afghan territory and launch attacks inside the country. Kabul has rejected accusations that Afghanistan is being used for terrorism against Pakistan.
Terrorist Attacks Continue to Challenge Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
The arrest comes amid growing security concerns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other parts of Pakistan.
Data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) organisation showed that recorded attacks in Pakistan increased from 658 in 2022 to 2,425 in 2025.
Two security reports presented to the federal cabinet in October also indicated that terrorist incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had increased by 195% between March 2024 and September 2026.
The reports identified police and security personnel as the targets of 73% of attacks recorded in the province during 2026, while highlighting the growing use of drones and improvised explosive devices.
The United Nations Security Council’s monitoring report published in February 2026 also raised concerns about TTP activities originating from Afghanistan and the group’s access to training and support.
The investigation into Hikmatullah’s alleged activities is continuing, with authorities seeking to identify his facilitators and establish the extent of the network.
Source: The Express Tribune
