Intelligence Agency Foils Major Terror Plot Targeting PAF Masroor Airbase
  • The attack involved nine militants, including five Afghan nationals.
  • Attackers planned to destroy aircraft, infrastructure, hold airbase.
  • The plot involved thirteen months of planning and surveillance.

ISLAMABAD: A leading intelligence agency has successfully thwarted a significant terror plot aimed at launching a deadly assault on the strategically important PAF Masroor Airbase in Karachi, according to sources within the intelligence community.

Officials report that the intricate plan was masterminded by a commander of Fitna al-Khawarij (FAK), an Afghanistan-based terror group. This commander leads the group’s suicide squad.

The plot involved nine highly trained terrorists, including five Afghan nationals. They were led by a high-profile FAK commander who is already wanted in connection with multiple terrorism cases.

The terrorists, having recently infiltrated Pakistan from Afghanistan, intended to breach the airbase through a pre-identified entry point. Their plan was to seize control of the facility, destroy aircraft and infrastructure, and maintain control of the base for as long as possible, with the ultimate goal of inflicting maximum damage and engaging in a prolonged gunbattle until their death.

The operation was reportedly under the direct supervision of FAK’s top leadership, who are based in Afghanistan, and involved approximately thirteen months of planning. The terrorists had secured accommodation near the airbase and conducted extensive reconnaissance of the surrounding area.

However, the intelligence agency had been closely monitoring their activities. As the attackers were preparing to initiate the final phase of their plot, the agency launched a swift, covert, and coordinated operation, leading to the arrest of the suspects from various locations across the country.

The agency’s intervention not only protected the strategic airbase but also significantly weakened a key FAK terror network that had been involved in several previous attacks, including the November 2024 assault on Chinese engineers at Liberty Textile Mills in Karachi’s SITE area.

The same FAK commander who was captured in the current operation is believed to have masterminded the attack on the Chinese engineers before fleeing to Afghanistan.

Authorities have identified him as an IED expert, trained in Afghanistan, and a former militant who fought alongside the Afghan Taliban during their conflict with Nato and ISAF forces.

Preliminary investigations indicate the involvement of hostile intelligence agencies, which are allegedly providing funding and equipment to terrorist elements in an attempt to destabilise Pakistan. Officials have drawn parallels to a similar terror plot that was foiled last October, in which FAK and these hostile agencies conspired to sabotage a major international event in Islamabad.

Despite these threats, Pakistan’s armed forces, intelligence services, and law enforcement agencies remain resolute in their mission to protect the nation. Officials have reaffirmed their commitment to eradicating terrorism in all its forms and safeguarding national security through coordinated and persistent vigilance.