Peshawar blast: ATC grants 10-day physical remand of 'facilitator'

PESHAWAR: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) granted the police a 10-day physical remand of alleged facilitator of the Peshawar Police Lines suicide blast, ARY News reported on Saturday.

According to details, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) presented the alleged facilitator of Peshawar’s Police Lines suicide blast before an anti-terrorism court in Peshawar.

The investigative officer (IO) told the court that, Imtiaz, was accused of facilitating the terrorist to carry out the suicide attack at the Peshawar Police Lines area on January 30. He urged to provide him more time to interrogate Imtiaz.

At request of the investigative officer, the ATC granted 10-day physical remand of accused facilitator for further interrogation.

It is pertinent to mention here that a suicide blast happened in Peshawar’s police lines mosque on January 30, where more than 100 bodies were retrieved from the wreckage by the rescue teams.

Security officials said the explosion took place around 1:40 pm on Monday as Zuhr prayers were being offered, resulting in the roof of the mosque caving in. The rescue operation is still underway at the mosque site to retrieve the victims.

Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) spokesperson Muhammad Asim has confirmed the number of casualties, saying that almost 100 people were martyred and 169 people sustained injuries in the ‘suicide blast’.

The LRH spokesperson said several bodies have been handed over to their heirs after identification.

The outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the blast at a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Lines.