Peshawar Police Lines blast was planned in Afghanistan: CTD

PESHAWAR: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Friday said the Peshawar Police Lines blast was planned in Afghanistan by the Jamatul Ahrar group of proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), ARY News reported.

A powerful explosion ripped through a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Line area on Jan 30 during Zuhr prayers, killing 84 people and injuring 235 people — mostly police officers.

Addressing a press conference CTD Peshawar additional IG Shaukat Abbas said the mastermind of the Peshawar blast has been traced.

Ghaffar aka Salman was the mastermind of the suicide attack, who was in contact with the suicide bomber “Qari”, the CTD official said and added they have also traced the name of the facilitator, which will not be revealed due to security issues.

Shaukat Abbas said the CTD arrested another terrorist involved in the Peshawar Lines blast named Imtiaz, who remained under training in Afghanistan’s province of Kundus. “Imtiaz was also a suicide bomber who had to blow himself up in Qari’s failure.”

Earlier, the Peshawar Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) announced a Rs10 million reward for anyone providing information about the bomber, who blew himself up at a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Lines, and his facilitators.

According to details, the Peshawar Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) released photographs of the suicide bomber and offered a reward of Rs10 million to anyone providing information about the attacker and his facilitators.