RAWALPINDI - The names of banned outfit Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Chief Mullah Fazalullah and its spokesman Shahid-ullah-Shahid have been inserted by Rawalpindi police in the First Information Report (FIR) of RA Bazaar suicide blast on Tuesday.
The FIR (21) of the suicide blast, which played havoc in garrison city, killing 14 people, including six army and maiming 33 others, was registered with the Police Station RA Bazaar on Monday last against the unknown terrorists under section 302/324/120-A/120-B/427 Pakistan Penal Court (PPC)/ 7 (Anti-Terrorism Act) and 3/4 explosive act.
Superintendent of Police  Potohar Division Haroon Joya, while talking to The Nation, said that police included the names of TTP chief and its spokesman in the FIR under section 109 PPC after the banned outfit claimed responsibility of the suicide attack in RA Bazaar near GHQ.
“Police have been interrogating the sadistic incident from all angles,” SP said, adding that security has been beefed up in the city to avoid any untoward incident.
It was for the second time that the law enforcement agencies filing FIR against the Taliban leaders as earlier police mentioned the names of Mullah Fazalullaha and his spokesman Shahid-ullah-Shahid in murder case of SSP CID Chaudhry Muhammad Aslam in Karachi a couple of days ago. On the other hand, the intelligence agencies and Pakistan Army handed police over the video footage of crime scene showing the movement of Zahir Khan, a suspect, informed SSP (Operations) Mian Maqbool. He said that in the video footage, the Afghan national Zahir Khan was seen moving in RA Bazaar area in a disparate manner and later parking his bicycle. “As soon as he parked his bicycle, a blast occurred” he said.
When asked as if police assured about the involvement or having links of Zahir Khan with the suicide bomber, Mian Maqbool replied in negative. He said that police could not investigate him properly as he was injured and admitted in hospital. He also informed that four cousins of the suspect, who visited DHQ to see him but arrested by police, were freed after questioning. SSP (Operations) added that police apprehended a total of 261 suspects during search operation conducted in the areas of Sadiqabad, Pirwadhai and Naseerabad. “PS Sadiqabad officials nabbed around 150 persons and Pirwadahi arrested 85 while Naseerabad police caught 26 suspects,” he added. Of 261, cases were registered against 48, who were residing illegally in the city and failed in proving their identity; he said adding that the rest were sent to home after proper investigation by the law enforcers. “Police will carry out search operation in other localities of the city to purge it from criminals and outsiders,” he pledged. Meanwhile, some senior police officers, who enjoy good repute in police department, termed police search operation as an opportunity for corrupt police officials to mint money from the innocent citizens by netting them on suspicious during search operation.
“People are being arrested on suspicions and later released after getting bribe from them” a police officer said on request of anonymity. They suggested that only supervision of honest police officers could save public from noisiness.
Sources said that police were still clueless about those who brought the suicide bomber at RA Bazaar. “Three hand grenades were also recovered from blast site by police,” the sources added. The body parts of suicide bomber, recovered from blast place, were also sent to Lahore Forensic Lab for DNA test,” a police officer informed.