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| Counter Terrorism Department محکمہ انسداد دہشت گردی | |
|---|---|
_logo.png){kind=logo} | |
| Common name | CTD |
| Motto | To fight terrorism in all its manifestations |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 21 July 2010 |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction | Pakistan |
| Governing body | Ministry of Interior Provincial police services of Pakistan |
| General nature | |
| Specialist jurisdiction |
|
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Karachi (CTD Sindh) Peshawar (CTD KP) Lahore (CTD Punjab) Quetta (CTD Balochistan) Islamabad (CTD Islamabad) Muzaffarabad (CTD Azad Kashmir) |
| Agency executive |
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| Parent agency | Police Service of Pakistan |
TheCounter Terrorism Department (Urdu:محکمہ انسداد دہشت گردی;CTD) areanti-terrorism, and intelligencebureaus of theprovincialpolice services ofPakistan.[1]
The CTDs are operational in allfour provinces of Pakistan under the respective provincial Home Ministry. WhileIslamabad Police,Gilgit-Baltistan Police,Azad Kashmir Police also have their own CTD bureaus.
CTD bureaus are usually commanded by an Additional-Inspector General of Police.[citation needed] InKarachi, CTD teams have gatheredintelligence to take action againstorganized crime, and, alongside theFIA and theIB, have infiltrated terrorist cells to track downTTP,Islamic State,al-Qaeda and other terror and separatist groups' operatives.[2]
Between 2010 and 2015, the Crime Investigation Departments (CIDs) in a number of provinces were renamed to "Counter Terrorism Departments" (CTDs) underNational Action Plan.[3][4]
In 1902, theBritish government formedCID bureaus all over theBritish Raj.[5] After theindependence ofPakistan in 1947, CID bureaus were equally distributed toPakistan.[6] InPunjab andSindh, CID bureaus were formed in 1947; and during the successive years, CID bureaus were established inBalochistan andKhyber-Pakhtunkhwa.[6]
However, as a result of rising terrorism in Pakistan CIDs were restructured as CTDs as per the framework of theNational Action Plan (Pakistan) under the command of the respective provincial police departments. The CTD of the respective province now accumulate information, intelligence and carry out operations against the terrorist organizations.
There are presently four CTDs each named after their relevant jurisdictional province. These are the CTD Punjab, the CTD Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the CTD Sindh, and the CTD Balochistan. Each of the CTD is either headed by theAdditional Inspector General of Police (Additional IGP) or theDeputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) depending on the size of the department. In the case of Punjab, Sindh and KP, it is often Additional IGP who heads the organization. CTD is then further subdivided into various sections and units which are led by the DIG or SSP rank officers who heads each section tasked with operations, Intelligence and Investigations.
Each provincial CTD is divided into various zones located at variousDivisions of each province. For instance, CTD Sindh is divided into 5 zones i.e Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana and Nawabshah. Each of the zones is either headed by an SSP or SP rank officer. These zones comprise CTD police stations located at various districts of each zone. The Police Station of the CTD is often headed by an Inspector or Sub-Inspector rank officer who is called asStation House Officer (SHO).
The CTD in Punjab has its own Counter Terrorism Force that aids the department to raid the terrorists. While the CTD KP relies on the Elite Force of the KP Police to raid the terrorist hideouts.
The manpower for all four CTD mostly comes from their relevant provincial police departments. The officers and constables were mostly absorbed into the CTD from the provincial police departments of the relevant police force. Thus, most of the officers or constables that serve in CTD are locals of those areas in which they operate. This helps CTD in its operations against the terrorists.
| Grade | CTD Ranks | Abbreviations |
|---|---|---|
| BS-7 | Constable | PC |
| BS-9 | Head Constable | HC |
| BS-11 | Assistant Sub-Inspector | ASI |
| BS-14 | Sub-Inspector | SI |
| BS-16 | Inspector | Inspector |
| BS-17 | Deputy Superintendent of Police Assistant Superintendent of Police | DSP ASP |
| BS-18 | Superintendent of Police | SP |
| BS-19 | Senior Superintendent of Police | SSP |
| BS-20 | Deputy Inspector General | DIG |
| BS-21 | Additional Inspector General | Addl.IG |
InSindh, the CTD bureau is led by anadditional inspector-general of police, and has several other sub-bureaus established all overKarachi.[7][8]
Other CTD sub-bureaus are located inLarkana,Sukkar,Hyderabad, andMirpur, and are each led by asuperintendent of police (SP).[7][8] InKarachi, the CTD bureaus work oncrime scene investigations, interrogations of suspects,antiterrorism, and intelligence in the city.[2] In 2023, the Sindh government has increased the CTD budget by Rs2.83 billion rupees, which will be used to acquire equipment and weapons for CTD worth Rs72.28 million. Additionally, new vehicles worth Rs800 million will be purchased for the officers and staff in order to extend the CTD throughout Sindh.[9]
In 2010, theTPP coordinated aterrorist attack at the CID building in Karachi, nearly destroying the entire headquarters.[10] Since 2010, Karachi CTD personnel have engaged inpolice encounters,shoot-outs, murder cases, andhigh speed chases involving theal-Qaeda andTTP terrorists. In 2015, CTD teams gunned down foural-Qaeda operatives after ahigh speed chase took place inQayyumabad in Karachi.[11] On January 8, 2025, The CTD Karachi In-charge Raja Umar Khattab, along with other CTD officials were dismissed from their positions following a short kidnapping in which CTD had been allegedly involved. The kidnapping resulted in an illegal transfer of over $340 million dollars (PKR 94.588 billion rupees) in cryptocurrency.[12]
ThePunjab Police's CID bureau was renamed the Counter Terrorism Department in line with similar renaming across Pakistan in 2010.[13] After a restructuring in 2015, the CTD was assigned additional terrorism-related functions beyond its traditional intelligence duties.[13] Operational counter terrorism forces were also allocated to the CTD with the creation of the Counter Terrorism Force, made up of specially trained police officers and potentially military personnel.[13][14]CTD Punjab has three wings:1. Intelligence wing2. Operational wing3. Investigational wing
The CTD bureau inKhyber-Pakhtunkhwa often works with personnel of theFrontier Corps andFederal Investigation Agency as well as other offices of theKhyber-Pakhtunkhwa Police to execute its investigation, counterterrorism, and intelligence functions.[15] The CTD bureau is headed by anadditional inspector-general of police with headquarters inPeshawar.[16] It is further divided into 14 Regional zones headed by the SSP or SP rank officers. The zones are located across the various divisions of KPK which include CTDPeshawar, CTDBannu, CTDDI Khan, CTDMalakand, and CTDKohat. It is again further sub-divided into various police stations and centers located in eachdistrict of the KPK.
The Peshawar CTD bureau has carried out raids on the hideouts ofTPP militants.[15] In 2013, the bureau was restructured and the Elite Force and Counter Terrorism Directorate (CTD), which work with thespecial agents of theFIA to carry out counter-terrorism operations, were added.[15]
In the past, the CTD played a lead role in operations against criminals, smugglers and outlaws. In case of any extraordinary situation, the Frontier Constabulary would be called to assist the police in maintaininglaw and order.[15] As of now, the Peshawar CTD now focuses on conductingcriminal investigation and solving murder cases.[15]
After theFall of Kabul in August 2021, Pakistan has seen the revival of the tide of terrorism. CTD KP has been at forefront to bear the burnt of changes across the border in Afghanistan. CTD KP has undertaken dozens of Intelliegence Based Operations along with the otherLaw Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) in which scores of militants have been gunned down. The most prominent operation among them was search and strike operation in Swat district carried out by CTD KP to clear out various hilltops and ridge of mountains occupied by the militants. As of now, the CTD KP is highly active against the militant groups operating in the districts adjacent to theAfghanistan-Pakistan border.
In the wake of thePeshawar Police Lines attack, an appex committee meeting was convened inPeshawar under the chairmanship of thePrime Minister of PakistanShahbaz Sharif that was also attended by theChief of Army Staff (COAS)Asim Munir in which upgradation plan for the CTD KPK was approved. It was decided that the CTD KP would be armed with modern equipment, a new Headquarters along with a forensic laboratory would be constructed in order to foster the investigation capabilities of the department.
The CID bureau inBalochistan was established by theBalochistan Police in 2000. It was restructured as CTD Balochistan. Currently, the CTD bureau is headed by adeputy inspector general of police[17] with its headquarters inQuetta. The CTD Balochistan has its own Counter Terrorism Force. It can also be assisted by the Balochistan Constabulary and the Balochistan Levies. The department has had many successes against the separatist and sectarian organizations. It has killed dozens of militants including prominent commanders of the banned entities. In one of such successful operation a terror training camp operated by theIslamic State (ISIS) was stormed by the CTD in Mastung, Balochistan in August 2021, resulting in the elimination of 11 ISIS terrorists.[18]
Given the rise in the threats of the terrorism, the Government of Pakistan has decided to expand CTD to Azad Kashmir in 2023.[19]
In order to strengthen security apparatus ofIslamabad Capital Territory in line with theNational Action Plan and to prevent and control terrorist activities,Federal Government decided to raise Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Islamabad Police of its own for the prompt response to any eventuality.
CTD Islamabad is divided into various teams:[20]
• Rapid Field Teams (RFT)
• Intelligence Field Team (IFT)
• Investigation Team (IT)
• Specialized Field Team (SFT)
• Explosives Handling Team
• High Rise & Mountaineering Team
• Snipers Team
• Amphibious Team
• Crisis Negotiation Team
• Composite Field Teams (CFT) (Combination of RFT & SFT)
2023
2 terrorists were gunned down by the CTD KP in Nowsher district.[21]
26 IBOs were carried out by the CTD on various parts of Punjab in which mastermind of a car bomb blast in Rawalpindi was killed by the CTD Punjab whereas 11 other terrorists were arrested.[1]
7 terrorists killed by the CTD in North Waziristan.[22]
A suspected terrorist of a proscribed organization supported by theResearch and Analysis Wing of India involved in two dozen blasts was arrested by the CTD Sindh in Jamshoro.[23]
2 terrorists belonging toPakistani Taliban were arrested by the CTD Punjab in Dera Ghazi Khan.
CTD Punjab killed one TTP commander in Mianwali.[24]
CTD Balochistan arrested a woman suicide bomber in Quetta on 18 February 2023.
CTD Punjab arrested 8 TTP terrorists on 18 February 2023.[2]
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