The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has apprehended 46 extortionists associated with proscribed terrorist organizations, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Gul Bahadur group, and ISIS-Khorasan, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
According to the CTD, a total of 117 extortion cases were reported across 18 districts of the province this year, with 170 individuals identified as suspects. Of these, 46 have been arrested, one has been killed, while 123 remain at large.
Peshawar recorded the highest number of extortion cases, with 34 incidents reported. Out of 70 named suspects, 33 have been arrested. Khyber district follows with 21 cases, where 22 suspects were identified, but only one has been apprehended while 21 remain fugitives.
Mardan saw 13 cases with 25 named suspects, three of whom have been arrested. In Mohmand, 10 suspects were identified from 10 cases, with one arrested and nine still at large. Lakki Marwat recorded six cases involving 15 suspects. Bajaur and Charsadda each reported five cases, with a total of eight suspects; two have been arrested in Bajaur.
Other districts including Hangu, Nowshera, Swabi, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Lower Dir, Kohat, Shangla, Swat, and Upper and Lower South Waziristan reported one to three extortion cases each. Across these areas, 20 suspects were named, seven of whom have been arrested, and one killed.
The CTD emphasized that ongoing operations aim to dismantle extortion networks linked to terrorist organizations, reinforcing the province’s efforts to maintain security and protect citizens from criminal intimidation.
