LAHORE: Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) and the CounterTerrorism Department (CTD) of police on Monday claimed to have arrested 23 members of banned outfits in joint operations in various areas of the province.

Of ficials of the law enforcement agencies also recovered a huge quantity of illegal weapons, ammu-nition and bulletproof jackets from their possession. The suspects were allegedly involved in facilitating terrorists.

According to a news release, Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) and CTD jointly carried out operations in tehsils Kharian and Sarai Alamgir of Gujrat district. The agencies searched houses in both tehsils and arrested 20 suspects said to be involved in facilitating terrorists. They also recovered a huge cache of arms, ammunition and bulletproof jackets. The suspects were later shifted to undisclosed locations for interrogation.

The joint operations were part ofnition and bulletproof jackets from their possession. The suspects were allegedly involved in facilitating terrorists.

According to a news release, Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) and CTD jointly carried out operations in tehsils Kharian and Sarai Alamgir of Gujrat district. The agencies searched houses in both tehsils and arrested 20 suspects said to be involved in facilitating terrorists. They also recovered a huge cache of arms, ammunition and bulletproof jackets. The suspects were later shifted to undisclosed locations for interrogation.

The joint operations were part ofOperation Raddul Fasaad, which was launched on Feb 22 after a string of terrorist attacks across the country.

Also on Monday, the CTD arrested three members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan(TTP)from Bahawalpur whom they claimed were plotting an attack in the city on Eid day.

They also recovered explosives and suicide jackets from their possession.

A CTD spokesman claimed that acting on a tip-off that the T TP was planning to attack a sensitive installation in Bahawalpur,a local CTD team conducted a raid at around 1:30pm at a house near Quaid Colony and arrested three suspects belonging to the TTP.

He said the suspected terrorists were identified as Gohar Ali, Muhammad Yousaf and Zamurad Khan, adding they also recovered 3kg of explosives, ball bearings, two suicide jackets, electronic circuit, timed devices and power plug batteries from their possession.

He said a case was also registered against the suspects at Bahawalpur CTD police station and an investigation started.