Mastermind, facilitator of Johar Town blast arrested

LAHORE:Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Punjab DIG Afzaal Ahmad Kausar while addressing a press conference on the progress of blast in Johar Town here on Thursday said that special teams of CTD arrested Samiul Haq, mastermind of Johar Town blast, and his facilitator Uzair Akbar from Balochistan after an intelligence-based operation.

Giving details about the operation, he said CTD Lahore operations and intelligence teams left for Balochistan on a special intelligence report and on April 24, through an intelligence-based operation, the accused of Johar Town blast, Samiul Haq and Uzair Akbar, were arrested at Kundi check post RCD High, Quetta Balochistan. Iranian currency, Emirati dirham, Turkish lira, Afghani and Pakistani currency were recovered from the arrested terrorists while laptops and other electronic devices used by the terrorists were seized.

DIG CTD Punjab Afzaal Ahmad Kausar said accused Peter Paul David was arrested from the airport after tracing the number plate of the vehicle used in the blast from the scene of the bomb blast on June 3 last year.

The accused said that he met Samiul Haq alias Adnan who later turned into a friend and during this time Samiul Haq gave target of E-Block Johar Town blast. In this regard, Samiul Haq, Uzair Akbar and foreign elements called executor of blast Eid Gul Khan to Dubai on a visit visa and held a meeting with him. After one week, Eid Gul Khan came to Pakistan with briefing about the incident and huge amount of money. Shortly after, Samiul Haq gave David Peter Paul three mobiles and Rs6 lac and sent him to Lahore. Later on, Samiul Haq and Uzair sent money to Peter Paul and Eid Gul through Western Union. Accused Ziaullah, Eid Gul, Ayesha and Sajjad were arrested on June 29, 2021 on the revelation of accused Peter Paul David while the search for the proclaimed offenders Samiul Haq, Uzair Akbar and Muhammad Naveed Akhtar Khan was under way, the DIG said.

He added that the case was decided on 12-01-2022 in which four accused Eid Gul, Sajjad Hussain, Ziaullah, Peter Paul David were sentenced to death three times under crime 302B, three times death sentence under 7ATA and fine of two lakh rupees, 3 times death penalty under crime 3 ESA, 10 years imprisonment and 50 thousand fine under crime PPC436, 7 years imprisonment and 01 lakh fine under crime 11N while accused Ayesha Eid Gul has been sentenced to 5 years imprisonment and 50 thousand rupees under crime (i) (1). The main culprits of the incident have also been arrested during the special operation, he said and added that terrorists were returning to Pakistan after crossing the border and local and foreign currency and laptops were recovered from their possession. The DIG did not rule out the possibility of involvement of foreign elements in the planning of the incident.

While the third fugitive accused Muhammad Naveed Akhtar Khan will be arrested soon, he said.Responding to questions from media persons, he said investigation into the Anarkali bomb blast is under way and important developments would be reported in due course. In response to a question of a journalist, he said CTD Punjab has nothing to do with the arrest of Baloch student from Punjab University.