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Security forces have arrested a former Afghan National Army (ANA) member in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tirah area for his alleged involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan, Additional Inspector General (AIG) Abbas Ahsan said on Wednesday.
Addressing a joint press conference, AIG Abbas Ahsan and Regional Development Council spokesperson Mehmood Jan Babar shared details about the arrest and the suspect’s alleged links with militant organisations.
According to Babar, the suspect, identified as Hikmatullah alias Hamza, was arrested on November 7 following intelligence information.
He said the suspect maintained contacts with terrorist groups operating both inside Pakistan and across the Afghan border.
Suspect Had Links With Gul Bahadur Group
Officials said Hikmatullah had also worked with the Gul Bahadur group, which has been linked to militant activities in Pakistan.
The arrested individual reportedly belongs to Mangryal village in Afghanistan’s Paktia province.
Authorities described the arrest as a significant development in ongoing efforts to counter terrorism and dismantle networks involved in attacks inside the country.
Anti-Drone Systems to Be Installed
During the press conference, AIG Abbas Ahsan also discussed measures to counter drone attacks allegedly carried out by terrorists.
He announced that anti-drone systems would be installed within the next six months to strengthen security and improve the response to emerging threats.
Cross-Border Terrorism Remains a Major Concern
Pakistan has witnessed a significant increase in cross-border militant attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021.
The country recorded its highest monthly number of militant attacks in 12 years during September 2026.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban authorities to prevent militant organisations from using Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
Pakistan maintains that the Afghan Taliban government has not taken effective measures against groups allegedly responsible for attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians.
Despite several rounds of negotiations, Pakistan and Afghanistan have yet to resolve their differences. The presence of militant groups operating from Afghan territory remains one of the most contentious issues between the neighbouring countries.
