Pakistani security agencies foil terrorists' plan to attack jail

Security agencies in Pakistan on Thursday foiled a plan by terrorists to attack Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore, where several death row militants are lodged, and arrested three persons, including two women.

"We have foiled terrorists' plan and arrested two women and a man from Farid Kot Colony near the Kot Lakhpat Jail," a police official said. The three were arrested during a raid at a house in Farid Kot Colony and the security agencies seized Pakistan army uniforms, a rocket launcher, guns, bows and arrows, mobile phones and Sim cards from them, he said. "The women and the man have been handed over to intelligence agency for interrogation," the officer said.

Deputy Inspector General Police Haider Ashraf confirmed the arrests of the three suspected terrorists during the raid. At least 50 death row convicts, including five terrorists who have been handed down death sentence by military courts for attacking an army camp in Punjab Province in 2012, are lodged in the Kot Lakhpat Jail.

The Lahore High Court on Wednesday  lifted the stay on the death sentences of the five terrorists as the government continued with the executions of convicted militants after the grisly Peshawar school attack. "As their death warrants have been issued they may be executed any time," Kot Lakhpat Jail superintendent Asad Warriach said.