QUETTA: Police claimed it foiled a major terrorism bid Wednesday morning when it recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition in Quetta.

“Forces found weapons dumped in a water tank near the residence of Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) leader Nawabzada Shah Zain Bugti,” Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Quetta Abdul Razzaq Cheema told reporters at police line while displaying the seized weapons on display.

Cheema’s claim contradicted earlier reports that the weapons were recovered from Shahzain Bugti’s residence.

Earlier in the day, police and security agencies claimed that forces conducted a joint raid at the Bugti’s residence and recovered huge cache of arms ammunition.

However, in the evening, the law enforcers retreated from their earlier claim.

Speaking to reporters, Cheema said three suspects were also apprehended by security forces during the raid.

“We foiled a major bid of terror,” said the Quetta Police chief, giving no details about the affiliation of the detained suspected militants.

An official of a security agency who requested anonymity told Dawn that Frontier Corps and personnel of the anti-terrorists force in a joint raid foiled a major bid of terrorism in Al Gilani road area of Quetta.

He said 800 hand grenades, 200 kilogram of explosives, 13 RPG launcher, electric detonators etc during the raid.

The security forces' earlier claim was strongly contradicted by sources close to Shah Zain. They termed it a baseless allegation and an effort to malign him for what they called his struggle for the Baloch people.

Shah Zain Bugti was also arrested by FC some years earlier at Beleli Chowk area of Quetta on charges of unlawfully possessing weapons.

Shah Zain is a grandson of late Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti, who was assassinated in 2006.