Daily Times

KARACHI: After at least nine months, the investigators probing the major terror activity at a shrine in Sindh’s small town claim to have made a major breakthrough by arresting one of the key suspects allegedly involved in the deadliest bombing.

A suspected key accused, Nadir Ali alias Murshid, was accused of being involved in the deadly bombing at the shrine in Sehwan Sharif. At least 82 people were killed and over 383 wounded in a suicide bombing at the shrine of Sufi saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sindh’s Sehwan town in February this year. The bomber had entered the shrine and blew himself up amid a large assembly of devotees, many of whom were there because Thursday is considered a sacred day to pray at the shrine.

Counter Terrorist Department (CTD) of the Sindh Police, in a press conference held by CTD DIG Amir Farooqui who was flanked by CTD Operations SSP Munir Shaikh on Friday afternoon, claimed to have arrested Nadir Ali alias Murshid. “The suspect had assisted the suicide bomber,” DIG Farooqui explained. “The suspect had also arranged stay for the terrorists in Sindh and Balochistan.”

Farooqui explained that the arrest was made after intelligence agencies received a tip regarding his whereabouts. “He was moving from Balochistan to Karachi and was arrested from the Manghopir area while riding a motorcycle. Explosives and arms were also recovered from his possession,” he said.

The accused belongs to Daesh and during interrogation confessed that he along with his companions – Ghulam Murtaza alias Doctor, Safiullah and Barar Brohi (suicide bomber) – carried out the attack on the shrine on February 16.

“They had plotted to carry out the terrorist activity at the shrine in February at Dera Murad Jamali in Balochistan. Some of their companions – Aijaz, Tanvir, Farooq Bangloi and Zulqarnain – were also accompanying them,” explained DIG Farooqui. “He (the arrested accused) had led the bomber to the shrine as he knew the area and reached Sehwan Sharif by bus from Kashmore a day before the bombing.” The officer further said that the suspects took a room on rent near the shrine and then assisted the suicide bomber. He said the arrested accused was later provided a bag containing a suicide jacket by the co-accused in the case, Ghulam Murtaza alias Doctor. Accused Nadir informed his companion, Mustafa, that 6:30pm would be the time of the bombing as there would be no electricity then, as per the power management schedule.

“Safiullah himself helped the suicide bomber in wearing the suicide vest at a rented room near the shrine. After the load shedding, the suspects moved towards the shrine and dropped the suicide bomber inside the shrine.”

Farooqui said the suspects Safiullah, Mustafa and Nadir later travelled towards Safiullah’s residence in Punjab. The accused said Mustafa had recently been killed in a security forces’ operation in Mastung area of Balochistan.

Published in Daily Times, November 18^th 2017.