In a major development, the mastermind of the Peshawar Police Line blast has been traced by the city’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD).
CTD Peshawar additional IG Shaukat Abbas, while addressing a press conference, revealed that the Counter Terrorism Department has apprehended a key suspect linked to the Peshawar mosque bombing that killed dozens in January.
The senior KP police official asserted that the TTP’s group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar was behind the incident, which was planned in Afghanistan. Pertinent to mention that the outlawed TTP had initially claimed responsibility for the attack. However, it later distanced itself from it.
Read more: KP IG debunks conspiracy theories on Peshawar blast
The bomber who carried out the attack is known as ‘Qari’ in the TTP circles. Ghaffar aka Salman was the mastermind of the suicide attack, who was in contact with the suicide bomber “Qari”.
On the other hand, the name of the facilitator has also been traced, however, it will not be revealed due to security issues. Shaukat Abbas also revealed that the CTD arrested another terrorist involved in the Peshawar Lines blast named Imtiaz, who remained under training in Afghanistan’s province of Kundus.
Police Lines blast: Facilitators involved in attack arrested
PESHAWAR: Two accused in the Police Lines bomb blast in Peshawar have been arrested.
Sources privy to the matter said that one of the arrested suspects belongs to Afghanistan while the other hails from Khyber. pic.twitter.com/CsBz3PkuhZ— Asad Kharal (@AsadKharal) March 17, 2023
Suicide blast at Peshawar Police Lines mosque
On Jan 30, a powerful explosion ripped through a mosque in Peshawar’s Red Zone area where between 300 and 400 people — mostly police officers — had gathered for prayers. The suicide blast blew away the wall of the prayer hall and an inner roof and claimed 84 lives.
According to security officials, the suicide attacker was present in the front row during the prayers when he exploded himself.
The horrific suicide blast triggered strong condemnations from the public, including political figures from major political parties as the public feared that Pakistan is once again witnessing a resurgence of terrorism.
Read more: 17 martyred, over 90 injured in suicide blast at Peshawar Police Lines mosque