India sponsored the Chinese Consulate attack: Karachi police chief

KARACHI: Karachi police chief Ameer Sheikh on Friday announced that the law enforcement agency has apprehended a number of suspects for their involvement in the November 23 attack on Chinese Consulate in Karachi and investigation revealed that the attack was sponsored by  India, ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference, the Karachi police chief told media that the three terrorists who stormed the embassy stayed in a house in the city’s Baldia Town area along with their four facilitators, all of whom have been arrested.

“Arms and ammunition were brought through train and kept in the same house in Baldia Town where the terrorists stayed with their facilitators and came from on the day of the attack,” Ameer Sheikh told media.

The police officer said that the railway department and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) too should look into the matter as apart from transferring arms through railways , the terrorists and their facilitators held identity cards bearing different names and were able to get a house in Baldia Town on rent through the fake NIC.

“This a cause for concern as one of them held four identity cards bearing different names,” said Sheikh.

About the attack’s planning and planners, the Karachi police chief said that the planning was done in Afghanistan under the then Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) leader Aslam alias Acchu along with four other men, all of whom were his relatives.

“The attack was India-sponsored,” announced Ameer Sheikh, adding that the terrorist attack was aimed at damaging the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the friendly relations between the two countries.

About the attack’s mastermind Aslam Acchu’s reported death, the police officer maintained that the news is not confirmed as Aslam Acchu had himself spread such news in past.

“He may have been alive and in hiding. We cannot say anything decisively until we see his dead body or some concrete evidence,” said Ameer Sheikh.

The police officer said that currently the BLA is being led by one Bashir Zeb in the absence of Aslam Acchu.

Fearless lady cop was the first to respond to Chinese Consulate attack

The attack

At least three suicide attackers tried to storm the Chinese consulate in the Karachi on November 23, but were killed before they could get into the building.

Two policemen embraced martyrdom in exchange of fire with the three terrorists armed with suicide jackets. Two civilians were also killed in the attack.

The three attackers came in a car filled with explosives but failed to get inside the heavily fortified compound. “They tried to get inside but the Rangers and police killed one of the terrorists,” police had told media.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi later confirmed that all officials and staff present inside the consulate were safe as security forces foiled the attack within no time.

The foreign minister told media that forces and police killed all three terrorists and secured the area.