Security forces have arrested a former Afghan National Army (ANA) member in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Tirah area for allegedly engaging in terrorist activities within Pakistan, Additional Inspector General (AIG) Abbas Ahsan confirmed. Addressing a joint press conference on Wednesday alongside Regional Development Council spokesperson Mehmood Jan Babar, the AIG shared details regarding the high-profile suspect.
Babar stated that security forces apprehended the suspect, identified as Hikmatullah alias Hamza, on November 7 following intelligence-based operations. Officials noted that the suspect maintained links with terrorist networks both across the border and within Pakistan.
Furthermore, Hikmatullah was reportedly associated with the Gul Bahadur group. The AIG added that measures are underway to counter drone attacks, with anti-drone systems scheduled for installation within the next six months.
The suspect hails from Mangryal village in Afghanistan's Paktia province. Since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021, Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in cross-border terrorist incidents, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
September 2026 recorded the highest monthly number of militant attacks in 12 years. Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to prevent its territory from being used by militant organisations for attacks inside Pakistan, maintaining that the Afghan Taliban regime has failed to take effective action against groups targeting Pakistani security forces and civilians.
Despite multiple rounds of talks, the issue of militant groups operating from Afghan soil remains a major point of contention between the two sides.