Islamabad (Hayat News) Senior journalist and analyst Ansar Abbasi has said that intelligence sources have revealed that the country’s leading intelligence agency foiled a major terror plot at Masroor Airbase.
The mastermind of the plan is a commander of the Afghanistan-based terrorist group Fitna al-Khawarij, who leads the group’s dangerous suicide bombers.
Ansar Abbasi said that according to authorities, the plot to attack Masroor Airbase involved 9 highly trained terrorists, out of which 5 were Afghan nationals, led by a high-profile commander of Fitna al-Khawarij, who is already wanted in several terrorism cases.
All the terrorists had recently infiltrated Pakistan from Afghanistan. The operation was allegedly carried out under the direct supervision of the top leadership of Fitna al-Khawarij, based in Afghanistan, and involved about 13 months of planning. The terrorists had taken up residence near the airbase.
The intelligence agency, however, was keeping a close watch on their movements. As the attackers were about to launch the final phase of their plot, the agency launched a swift, covert and coordinated operation across the country, arresting suspects from various locations.
All the terrorists who attacked the Masrour Air Base had planned to infiltrate the airbase at a designated location, capture it, destroy the aircraft and infrastructure, and hold the airbase for as long as possible.
Their aim was to inflict maximum damage and engage in a protracted gun battle to the death. According to senior journalist Ansar Abbasi, the Pakistani intelligence agency not only secured the strategically important airbase but also dismantled a key terrorist network of Fitna al-Kharij, involved in several previous attacks (including the attack on Chinese engineers at the Liberty Textile Mill in Karachi’s SITE area in November 2024).
Initial investigations indicate the involvement of hostile intelligence agencies in the incident, which are allegedly providing financial support and equipment to terrorist elements in an attempt to destabilize Pakistan.
The same Fitna al-Khawarij commander captured in the operation is also believed to have masterminded the attack at the Karachi site before fleeing to Afghanistan, officials said.
Authorities believe the mastermind is an improvised explosive device (IED) expert who trained in Afghanistan and fought alongside the Afghan Taliban while fighting with NATO and coalition forces.
Authorities pointed to a similar foiled terror plot last October, in which Fitna al-Khawarij and enemy agencies conspired to sabotage a major international event in Islamabad.
Despite these threats, Pakistan’s armed forces, intelligence agencies and law enforcement agencies remain steadfast in their mission to protect the nation.
Authorities have reiterated their commitment to rooting out terrorism in all its forms and safeguarding national security through coordinated, constant vigilance.
