‘Terrorists involved in Youhanabad incident received Indian funding’

LAHORE: Giving details of progress in a case pertaining to attack on churches in Youhanabad area of Lahore, Punjab Home Minister Shuja Khanzada claimed that ten terrorists arrested in connection with the incident received Indian directives and funding.

Addressing a press conference, the minister presented photographs of the terrorists and video of their confessional statements to the media. On 15 March 2015, at least 15 people were killed and seventy others were injured when two bomb blasts hit Roman Catholic Church and Christ Church during Sunday service at Youhanabad town of Lahore. Shuja Khanzada said that a terrorist network comprising ten suspects has been busted. Eight of them were working as facilitators while others were suicide bombers.

He said three terrorists managed to flee towards Afghanistan. The minister further told media that arrested terrorists belong to Shahryar Mehsood Group which operates for Al-Qaeda and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). To a question, he said that LeJ chief Malik Ishaq's killing was part of the National Action Plan (NAP). There is zero-tolerance for the terrorists.