The Punjab Police have successfully repelled multiple infiltration attempts by militants of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) along the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Punjab border, inflicting significant losses on the terrorists while ensuring zero casualties on the police side. Officials familiar with the operations said that TTP operatives had made repeated efforts in recent months to establish a facilitators’ network and expand their footprint in Punjab’s border regions. However, prompt intelligence-based action and community support enabled the Punjab Police to disrupt their plans effectively.
“The militants failed to gain any operational advantage or popular support. Every attempt was met with a swift and forceful response,” an official said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. What has further complicated matters for the TTP, observers note, is the high level of public awareness in Punjab. Even in areas with limited literacy, the local population has shown remarkable resilience, rejecting the group’s ideological propaganda often disguised in religious slogans such as “Mujahideen-e-Islam” or “Love for Islam.”
“This refusal to fall for extremist narratives has been crucial,” the official added. “The militants’ attempts to exploit religion for recruitment and shelter have failed because the people did not buy into their lies.” Authorities credited this public vigilance as a cornerstone in Punjab’s sustained success in keeping militant elements at bay. In a message directed at residents of neighboring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, officials urged communities to maintain heightened caution and not be misled by the militants’ outward displays of piety or religious devotion.
“Extremist elements often present themselves as religiously devout to win sympathy, extract information, and locate vulnerable targets,” the official said. “But behind the facade lies a violent ideology that recognizes no boundaries and eventually turns on its own supporters.”
Officials further warned against any form of passive or active facilitation, stressing that even silence or indirect assistance enables terrorism to fester. “The first line of defence is ideological. Rejection of their narrative is the beginning of their defeat,” they noted. The Punjab Police reiterated their commitment to maintaining peace across the province and called on all communities to stand united in the national fight against extremism.
