Lahore blast suspected facilitator arrested

Investigator says suspect part of ring involved in attack; blast toll 14 as another injured dies at Ganga Ram Hospital; JIT formed to probe attack

LAHORE

The death toll of the Charing Cross blast rose to 14 as one more victim succumbed to his injuries at Ganga Ram Hospital on Wednesday. 

Investigation agencies remained busy collecting evidences and searching the suspected terrorists. The victim identified as Muhammad Riaz worked in a pharmaceutical company and living in a rented building near China Town. He hailed from Gujranwala. 

A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) was formed by Home Department on the request of the Counter Terrorism Department to investigate the attack.

Members of the JIT included officers from ISI, MI, IB, Lahore police and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). The officer from CTD was appointed convener of the JIT. 

The investigation teams sent fingerprints of the suspected suicide bomber to Nadra for identification. CCTV footages from nearby streets and buildings were also collected to investigate the matter further and point out facilitators of the suspected attacker.

Geo-fencing of the location was also conducted. An investigator said: “They have yet to locate and arrest the suspected facilitators/handlers of the bomber. Police have also mounted pickets to nab the fleeing suspects at all entry exit points of Punjab that lead to KPK.

The investigators were focusing on the route of KPK from Mianwali”. Search operations were also conducted on the consecutive second day throughout Punjab and many suspects were rounded up but not a substantial progress was made. Most of the arrested suspects included fourth schedulers. An investigator said: “They have arrested a suspected facilitator from Sukkur. He was part of the ring involved in the attack but was not present at the time of the attack. However, no substantial progress regarding arrest of the facilitator or handler has been made”.

Meanwhile, the investigators recorded statements of over 70 eye-witnesses. The eye-witnesses included the injured victims, wardens, protesters and police officials present on the occasion.

The investigators examined the initial autopsy report. It stated that flammable material besides ball-bearings, shrapnel, and flammable material was also used in the suicide vest. It stated that upper parts of the body of the victims were affected due to the blast. Their bones were also fractured due to the blast.

Security was beefed up throughout the city especially sensitive installations. Moreover, Capital City Police Officer Amin Wains decided to rename Traffic Police Lines Thokar Niaz Beg after DIG Syed Ahmad Mobeen and Police Lines Qila Gujjar Singh after SSP Zahid Mehmood Gondal. It was decided in a meeting. Qul for the martyred DIG Ahmad Mobeen was offered at RA Bazar. Inspector General of Punjab Police Mushtaq Sukhera, CCPO Amin Wains, Additional IG Arif Nawaz, additional IG Usman Khattak, formed chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Ch, former Governor Punjab Muhammad Sarwar, other senior police officers, family members of the victim and a large number of other people were present. Strict security measures were taken on the occasion. Heavy contingent of police was deployed on the occasion. 

DIG: DIG Operations Wednesday visited Ganga Ram Hospital and inquired after people’s health injured in the suicide blast at Charing Cross.  He presented flowers to the injured and prayed for their health and early recovery.