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Police arrest Taliban planning attacks in Multan

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MULTAN: Pakistani police said on Saturday that they had arrested five Taliban militants who were planning "terror attacks" in Multan and other towns in the region.

"The terrorists belonging to Noor Gul group of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were arrested on an intelligence tip-off," city police chief Amir Zulfiqar said.

The 'Noor Gul' group has not been heard of previously, and Zulfiqar did not say where or when the arrests were made. "They were planning to carry out terrorist activities on the eve of the martyrdom anniversary of Hazrat Ali (RA) falling next week," Zulfiqar added. He said that the group was active in the southern part of Punjab, and had planned to target other towns and cities in the region.

The police also seized heavy weapons and ammunition including pistols and assault rifles from the militants, he added. Pakistan has battled home-grown insurgents, including Taliban, in the tribal belt for years but has also resisted US pressure to do more to eliminate havens used by insurgents fighting the Americans in Afghanistan.

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