JIT formed to probe Karachi airport blast suspects

KARACHI: A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has been formed to investigate the suspects involved in the Karachi airport blast that targeted Chinese nationals, ARY News reported.

The eight-member JIT will interrogate the arrested suspects, Muhammad Javed and Gul Nisa, and submit a report to the Interior Ministry within 15 days.

The JIT, headed by Deputy Inspector General of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), comprises officials from security agencies, Rangers, Special Branch, Karachi Police, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

The JIT is authorized to seek assistance from any investigative agency.

The formation of the JIT comes after the arrest of Javed and Gul Nisa from Sindh and Balochistan, respectively.

Earlier, an anti-terrorism court in Karachi sent two suspects on a 10-day physical remand in connection with the recent blast near Karachi Airport.

As per details, the two suspects Javed and Gul Nisa were produced in court after their initial remand expired. The investigation officer informed the court that Javed had been identified by eyewitnesses.

According to the police, the suspects provided assistance to the suicide bomber, who targeted a convoy of Chinese nationals near the airport. The police claimed that the suspects are linked with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army.

Two Chinese nationals were killed and several were injured in the attack that took place, last month, close to the Jinnah International Airport, the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan said.

Addressing a joint press conference with IGP Ghulam Nabi Memon, Ziaul Hasan Lanjar lauded the swift action of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Sindh police in tracing the suspects and facilitators in the attack on Chinese nationals.

Lanjar said the proscribed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility of the Karachi airport blast.

He said Rs7.1 million was transferred to a bank account of a person named Saeed through a bank employee named Bilal to buy the vehicle in Karachi for the attack.

The car was brought from a showroom in Karachi and was possibly moved to Balochistan or any other area away from Karachi for explosives.