Web Desk: Police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said they arrested an Afghan national near Peshawar who served in Afghanistan’s former army and later trained terrorists, including prospective suicide bombers.
The suspect, identified as Hikmatullah, also known as Hamza, was arrested on Nov. 7 after entering Pakistan through the Tirah Valley, police officials said.
Speaking at a news conference, Additional Inspector General Abbas Ahsan and police spokesperson Mahmood Jan Babar said the arrest had provided investigators with information about a suspected terrorist network operating across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
According to police, Hikmatullah, son of Noor Muhammad, is a resident of Afghanistan’s southeastern Paktika province.
Investigators allege that he previously served in Afghanistan’s former national army, where he received military training before the force collapsed following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.
Police said the suspect subsequently joined a religious seminary, where he trained terrorists and helped prepare suicide attackers.
Police also alleged that Hikmatullah had maintained links with the Gul Bahadur terrorist network, an armed group associated with attacks against Pakistani security forces.
Investigators believe the suspect received assistance from facilitators inside Pakistan, enabling him to move through border areas and approach Peshawar.
According to officials, he crossed into Pakistan under cover of darkness and attempted to carry out terrorist activities.
During the news conference, police released a video they described as the suspect’s confession.
In the recording, according to the police account, Hikmatullah purportedly acknowledged serving in the former Afghan army, training terrorists at a seminary and helping prepare suicide attackers.
He also reportedly described his journey into Pakistan through several areas before reaching the outskirts of Peshawar.
The suspect referred to an exchange of gunfire at a security checkpoint, police said.
In the video, Hikmatullah reportedly said he had come to believe that the activities he previously considered jihad were misguided.
He also expressed concern that Taliban members might kill him if they learned of his statements, according to the account presented by police.
Ahsan alleged that terrorist organisations were openly recruiting individuals in Afghanistan for operations against Pakistan.
He said investigators had obtained significant information from the detained suspect that could help identify recruitment channels, training arrangements and links with banned terrorist organisations.
The police official did not publicly release the underlying evidence supporting those allegations.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan-based terrorist groups of using territory across the border to organise attacks. Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities have previously rejected allegations that they permit their territory to be used for attacks against neighbouring countries.
Meanwhile, Babar said provincial and federal authorities, along with relevant security agencies, were coordinating their efforts against terrorism.
He described the arrest as part of a broader campaign to disrupt suspected cross-border networks and prevent attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Authorities would continue pursuing individuals suspected of entering Pakistan to carry out violence, he said.
The province, which borders Afghanistan, has experienced recurring terrorist attacks targeting security personnel, government installations and civilians.
Police said investigators were continuing to question Hikmatullah to establish the extent of his connections with terrorist organisations and identify individuals suspected of assisting his movements inside Pakistan.
Officials said the information obtained during the investigation could lead to further operations against suspected facilitators and recruitment networks.
They did not announce additional arrests or disclose whether formal charges had been filed against the suspect.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the allegations against Hikmatullah have not been tested in court.
