'Mastermind' of Wagah border attack killed

LAHORE: The suspected mastermind of the Wagah Border suicide attack and his two accomplices were killed in an `encounter' with the personnel of law-enforcement agencies in Barki area early on Saturday.

He was identified as Asadullah, a `commander' of the banned Tahreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Bajaur Agency.

Asadullah allegedly plotted the Wagah attack in which more than 60 people were killed in November last year. His two accomplices were identified as Miraj and Umar Farooq.

A senior police official told Dawn that Asadullah was an important leader of the TTP and claimed that he was mastermind of the Wagah border attack.

He said a joint team of law-enforcement agencies raided a house near Patri Sawa of Barki area on intelligence that Asadullah was present there along with some accomplices.

When the security personnel tried to enter the house Asadullah and his accomplices opened fire. The security men returned fire and an exchange of fire continued for at least half an hour, the official said.

He said Asadullah blew himself up to avoid his arrest while his accomplices were killed in firing by the security personnel.

Answering a question, the police official claimed that Asadullah was planning attacks on the pattern of the Peshawar school attack and that he had identified many sensitive installations in the provincial capital.

Police shifted bodies to the Mayo Hospital's mortuary for autopsy amid tight security. The post mortem will be carried out by a board of doctors from Mian Munshi Hospital.