PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) revealed that mastermind behind police lines masjid suicide bomb attack has been traced and confirmed that faction of outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan was behind it. Additional IG CTD Shaukat Abbas and DIG CTD Sohail Khalid stated that attack was planned in Afghanistan and that second suicide bomber was also prepared to carry out attack had first one failed.

Earlier in February, TTP had claimed responsibility for worst terror attack to strike country in years, taking at least 84 lives.

A joint investigation team probing into incident focused investigation on finding out how bomber breached security in Peshawar’s ‘Red Zone’ which houses offices of eight units of law-enforcement forces, including police. A senior provincial police official had told AFP on condition of anonymity that at least 23 suspects had been detained, adding that some of them were from Peshawar city and nearby former Federally-Administered Tribal Areas which has now been merged with KP province.

In press conference, AIG Abbas said that suicide bomber had been identified with help of some 300 cameras which aided in tracing his handler and key mastermind behind attack.

Handler has been identified as Ghaffar alias Suleman while suicide bomber’s name was Qari and he belonged to Mohmand Agency.

During press conference, it was also revealed that two had been in contact prior to attack and that both, Qari and backup attacker had received their training in Kunduz, city in northern Afghanistan.

Published in The Daily National Courier, March, 18 2023

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