‘Hostile spy agency’ involved in Johar Town blast: CM

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar disclosed that a “hostile intelligence agency” was involved in the Lahore blast in which three people were killed and 24 others injured. It happened near the residence of Hafiz Saeed, founder of Lashkar-e-taiba (LET) group, on June 23.

Meanwhile, a key suspect in the Johar Town Lahore blast has been arrested by the Counterterrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab from Rawalpindi and shited to Lahore.

Buzdar, flanked by Punjab police chief Inam Ghani, told reporters the mastermind and culprits involved in the blast were arrested in the last four days during raids.

The chief minister said that he himself had gone to visit the injured people and orders were given to provide them treatment.

“The Punjab government established an investigation team. I am satisfied to tell you that the investigation was started by the CTD and the suspects were identified within 16 hours. In four days, the terrorists were arrested in raids in the country.”

Buzdar termed the arrests a “big success” of the Punjab government and thanked all law enforcement agencies (LEAS) for their efforts.

“It was found that a hostile intelligence agency was involved which provided financial help to this network,” he shared. All high-profile cases have been traced and suspects arrested, the chief minister added.

Giving details of the investigation, Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Inam Ghani said the police tried to go beyond identifying the car used in the blast and within a few hours, the police had reached the people who owned the car and gained information about how they had goten it.

“Within hours we had unearthed this whole network and went to arrest the suspects. The lynchpin who arranged all this has been arrested, those who arranged the car and those who repaired the car and those who filled the car with explosive material as well - we have all of them.

“We have close to 10 Pakistani citizens — men and women — who were involved in this and who executed it.”

Ghani said the police had also identified the masterminds behind the explosion who belonged to hostile intelligence agencies. “We have shared the information with the federal government and intelligence agencies. A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has been formed and it will look into [the mater.”

The suspect, identified as Eid Gul, is believed to be the man who had parked the explosiveladen vehicle in the Johar Town.