Tag: Lahore bomb blast

  • India behind Johar Town bomb blast in Lahore: Rana Sanaullah

    India behind Johar Town bomb blast in Lahore: Rana Sanaullah

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has revealed that India was behind the Johar Town blast in Lahore— a powerful blast in 2021 near the residence of Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, which resulted in three deaths.

    He held a joint press conference on Tuesday with Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Additional Inspector General Imran Mehmood, during which he said that there is “clear evidence” of India carrying out terrorist activities in Pakistan.

    The minister further added that India’s footprints are seen in all terror activities carried out in Pakistan and New Delhi’s activities have gone “beyond that of an enemy state” just to hide its atrocities in Indian-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

    He said that Pakistan will raise this matter before the world. The minister also mentioned that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had support from the foreign intelligence agency of India, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), to carry out terrorist activities in Pakistan.

    Mehmood also briefly explained who were the culprits behind the Johar Town blast.

    He said that in the initial 24 hours, CTD arrested three terrorists. However, Sami ul Haq — the main handler of RAW-sponsored terror activities in Pakistan — was arrested a year later in April when he was trying to enter Pakistan via Balochistan

    According to Mehmood, his Red Warrants were issued through Interpol. Mehmood added that his brother-in-law, Uzair Akbar, assisted Sami in terror activities and his Red Warrants were issued as well. CTD also got information about Naveed Akhtar — who did the surveillance and selected the target.

    “We also found out that close to a million dollars of terror financing was done through India to spread terrorism in Pakistan through different channels,” he revealed, adding that all the arrested persons have been sentenced to death three times by the court.

    Prior to this, days after the incident, the then information minister Fawad Chaudhry and National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf said that the mastermind of the attack was “an Indian citizen and he is associated with RAW”.

  • CIA joins investigation of Lahore blast, arrest suspects

    CIA joins investigation of Lahore blast, arrest suspects

    The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) has joined the Lahore bomb blast investigation and will interrogate the case with the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), reports Dawn.

    Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Rao Sardar Ali Khan also announced that the CIA has been assigned to investigate the probe beside the CTD.

    Law enforcement agencies have started their search operations all over the city and arrested some accused on the suspicion of their alleged involvement in the Lahore bomb blast.

    The CIA chief held a meeting on Friday after investigating the crime scene and also sent teams to inspect the roads that the prime suspect could have used the route for escape from the crime scene.

    He said, “We have dispatched teams to all the bus stations, railway stations, and exit-entry points of the provincial capital.”

    He also added that the regional police officers and district police officers of Punjab have also been given orders by the IGP to be vigilant for intensifying the security to track down the culprits.

    Sources shared with Dawn the initial development that the law enforcers received a tip-off about the presence of suspects in the area near Anarkali market and other locations of the city. The investigative team has received some important leads through CCTV video and call records.

    Meanwhile, officials refused to confirm any major development as the interrogation is still underway.

    On Thursday, a bomb blast took place in Lahore near Pan Mandi in New Anarkali in which three people died and 28 people were injured. The injured people were shifted to Mayo Hospital. 20 people who were injured got discharged from Mayo Hos­pital whereas eight victims are still under treatment.

    While replying to Dawn, an official source revealed that there is a “strong possibility” of the Baloch Nationalist Army’s involvement behind the bomb blast.