SWAT: The police and security forces foiled a major terrorist bid by recovering a huge cache of weapons here the other day, a senior official claimed.

Addressing a press conference at the Mingora police station, district police officer Shafiullah Gandapur said the weapons were recovered in a search and strike operation in Qadirabad area of Malam Jabba.

Mr Gandapur said the seizure included a suicide jacket, 10 hand grenades, a rocket launcher, three rocket launcher shells, eleven rocket launcher boosters, 440 cartridges, 71 non-electric detonators, eight test light wires, three empty rocket launcher heads, a rifle snapper and 500 ball bearings.

“The Swat police and security forces effectively thwarted the evil intentions of those who tried to disrupt peace. Gratefully, Swat now enjoys full-fledged tranquility, and tourists can explore the region without any apprehensions,” he said.

However, local residents said while excavating a field on Thursday morning to construct a road, the driver of the machine discovered a hidden cache of ammunition, and promptly informed the police.

Akbar Alam, a local resident, recounted that the ammunition was uncovered during excavation work for building a road in Jee Kot area of Qadirabad. He said the excavator driver stumbled upon the buried ammunition, which included a suicide jacket, a rocket launcher, 10 grenades and various other items.

He said the land where the concealed arsenal was found belonged to late Taliban commander Sabir Zada. “It appears Sabir Zada had buried the ammunition in 2009,” he claimed.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2023