LAHORE: Four terrorists were killed while four others managed to flee during an operation, conducted by the law-enforcement agency in the Sherakot area here on Thursday. The law-enforcers, on a tipoff, raided a house in the Badro village. Seeing the raid party, the militants holed up in a rented house and opened fire. The raiding party retaliated and in the exchange of fire, lasting for half an hour, four terrorists were killed while four others fled. A large quantity of explosives, hand-grenades and ammunition was recovered from the house. The bodies of the terrorists were shifted to morgue. The terrorists identified as Amjad, Fiaz, Sadaqat and Saddam were said to be involved in the attack on martyred Punjab minister Shuja Khanzada, and belonged to a defunct organisation. Later, Inspector General of Police, Punjab, Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera, told the press the Punjab Police, with the help of other law-enforcing agencies, were making all-out efforts to eliminate terrorismfromthe province. Addressing a press conference at the Central Police Office Lahore, he said Qari Suhail, who lived in Sultani village near Attock, had masterminded the attack on Shuja Khanzada. He said the already-arrested terrorist Qasim Moavia had disclosed to the police during interrogation that his accomplices Fiaz, Amjad, Saddam and Sadaqat had been planning to kill Shuja Khanzada since June. They sent a suicide bomber Moaz to the place of Shuja Khanzada, where he blew himself up, he added. He said the mastermind, who seemed to have connection with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, would soon be arrested. He said the Punjab Police would remain completely impartial during the elections and all officers and officials had already been directed in this regard. Strict action would be taken if any complaint was received, he warned. He said it was the prerogative of the Election Commission to deploy army or rangers or no force during the elections while foolproof security arrangements had been
