Afghan SIMs being used in Pakistan for terrorism, extortion

PESHAWAR: Afghan SIMs are being used in the majority of terrorism and extortion cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), revealed Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) KP report on Tuesday.

The report compiled by the CTD KP stated that most of the terrorists, and extortionists are using Afghan SIMs in the province.

The report further said that 830 cases of terrorism were registered in 2023 so far out of which 601 cases have been traced and 1,982 suspects were nominated. More than 500 suspects were arrested and 216 were killed in operations, the report said.

The CTD said 32 cases were executed by the court and 80 cases of extortion were registered, of which 47 had been traced۔

In the cases of extortion money, 197 people are nominated out of which 90 have been arrested۔

Read more: Interior minister blames Afghan nationals for ‘rising terror activities’

DIG CTD Imran Shahid said Afghan SIMs are being used in terrorism and extortion cases which become a problem for the agency to trace.

Earlier on October 4, Interior Minister Sarfraz Ahmad Bugti blamed Afghan nationals for ‘rising terror activities’ in Pakistan.

Speaking exclusively to ARY News, the interior minister said that out of 24 blasts in Pakistan, Afghan nationals were involved in 14 of them.

Sarfraz Bugti said the Afghan government had claimed that there was peace and stability in their country. “If there is peace in Afghanistan, keep the residents in your country”, he said.