Facilitators of Mastung terror attack to be arrested soon: CTD Balochistan

QUETTA: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Balochistan on Thursday gave further details over the Mastung terror incident and said that investigation had commenced since the first day.

DIG CTD Aitzaz Goraya, while briefing media over the investigations, said that 150 people had lost their lives in the incident while 250 others were injured. He said that suicide attacker had been identified as Hafeez Nawaz.

The attacker was not a resident of the local area and instead hailed from Mirpur Sakro near Thatta in Sindh and was not versed in Brahui language. He said suicide bomber was sitting in the fourth row during the election corner meeting and was carrying a flag of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP).

He said that the attacker’s father was investigated who revealed that he along with his brother had recently visited Afghanistan.He said no facilitator had been arrested so far but were expected to be local residents.

He said that further investigations are underway to apprehend the facilitators of the terror incident and they have made progress in this regard and will be arrested soon. He said that there is close coordination among terror groups and the footprints led to the proscribed Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

He added no DNA tests have been made so far and that the forensic testing is being conducted on the evidence collected from the scene of the incident. He said no one was checked during the corner meeting and they are conducting operations to arrest other suspect in the incident.

Earlier, Inspector General Balochistan Mohsin Butt informed the Senate standing committee that that bomber was identified as Hafee Nawaz who was a resident of Abbottabad.

He explained that attacker was part of the outlawed Lashkhar-e-Jhangvi, a group affiliated with the Islamic State, commonly known as Daesh. The IS had later claimed responsibility for the deadly assault.

A key figure from the BAP Siraj Raisani who was contesting the upcoming elections also lost his life in the attack. He was the second electoral candidate killed in pre-election violence last week.