Intelligence agency thwarts terrorist attack targeting Karachi’s PAF Masroor Airbase

ISLAMABAD: In a remarkable breakthrough, one of the key intelligence agencies foiled a major terror attack aimed at mounting a fatal assault on the strategically important PAF Masroor Airbase in Karachi, sources from the intelligence community revealed.

According to officials, the intricate plan was devised by a commander of the Afghanistan-based terror group Fitna al-Khawarij (FAK), who oversees the group’s known suicide squad.

The operation featured nine highly trained terrorists, five of them were Afghan nationals, commanded by a high-profile FAK commander wanted in several terrorism cases.

The terrorists, who had recently infiltrated Pakistan from Afghanistan, planned to enter the airfield through a predetermined site, gain control of the facility, destroy planes and equipment, and hold the base for as long as possible. Their purpose was to inflict maximum harm and participate in a prolonged gunfight until death.

The operation was overseen directly by the FAK’s highest leadership in Afghanistan and took nearly thirteen months to plan. The terrorists had taken up residence near the airbase and done thorough reconnaissance in the region.

However, the intelligence agency had been closely watching their movements. When the attackers were about to begin the final step of their plan, the agency launched a quick, covert, and coordinated operation, apprehending the suspects in several locations across the country.

The agency’s intervention not only safeguarded the important airfield but also disrupted a crucial FAK terror network responsible for multiple earlier attacks, including the November 2024 assault on Chinese engineers at Liberty Textile Mills in Karachi’s SITE neighborhood.

The same FAK commander apprehended in the current operation is thought to have orchestrated the attack before escaping to Afghanistan.

Authorities describe him as an IED specialist trained in Afghanistan and a former terrorist who fought alongside the Afghan Taliban against NATO and ISAF soldiers.

Initial investigations point to the participation of enemy intelligence agencies, who are allegedly supporting and arming terrorist groups to destabilize Pakistan. Officials cited a similar terror plan foiled in October in which the FAK and hostile agencies attempted to disrupt a big global event in Islamabad.

Despite these concerns, Pakistan’s armed forces, intelligence services, and law enforcement agencies are committed to protecting the country. Officials emphasized their commitment to combating terrorism in all forms and ensuring national security via coordinated, unwavering vigilance.