Sehwan attack: from conception to execution

ISLAMABAD: The deadliest Sehwan suicide attack had been planned in Dera Murad Jamali and executed in Sehwan Shareef which was lined up by an ‘Ameer of Islamic State' (IS) in Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab. The IS claimed the responsibility of Sehwan shrine bombing which claimed some 84 lives at the Sufi Muslim site in Sehwan earlier this year.

“I’m a Daesh (IS) affiliate/ member. I, along with Dr Gulam Mustafa Mazari, Barar Brohi [suicide bomber] and Safiullah Mazari carried out the suicide blast at Sehwan Shareef shrine. Suicide blast was planned in Dera Murad Jamali, Balochistan,” revealed mastermind of Sehwan blast, Nadir Ali Jakhrani, in a confidential statement under Section 164 of CRPC and Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report, exclusively available with this correspondent. The confidential report was prepared by the Counter-Terrorism Department, Sindh.

Planning and execution of the suicide attack at Sehwan was visualised by Mustafa Mazari alias Doctor alias Shah Jee Mazari, Ijaz Bungulzai alias Abdul Rehman and Nadir aias Murshid and some unidentified friends of Ghulam Mustafa and Ejaz Bugalzai, revealed the JIT report. Mustafa Mazari phoned Nadir Jakhrani to meet him in Dera Murad Jamali for a mission.

Nadir used local transport from Kandhkot to Dara Murad Jamali and reached Otaq where Mustafa, Barar Brohi (suicide bomber), Zulqernain Bungalzai and Tanveer were sitting. Mustafa Mazari narrated how to stage suicide bomb blast at Sehwan and it was decided that Nadir would take Barar to Sewan along with Safiullah Mazari who was at his village Abdullah Mazari, Rojhan Mazari.

Mustafa arranged a suicide jacket the other day and the plan was already communicated to Safiullah Mazari. Nadir was tasked to lead the plan and take Barar for ‘recce’ and as per plan he took Barar to village Abdullah, Rojhan Mazari, to take Safiullah Mazari from there. Both stayed at Safiullah Mazari’s home and next day (15th of February), Nadir, Barar and Safiullah left for Sehwan. They all walked around Sehwan city and reached the Sufi mausoleum by around 6.30pm for 'recce'.

They first visited the outer gate which was closed and remained there for some time at ‘dhamal’ courtyard. Then they all three spent night at a rented room in a nearby guest house opposite to ‘dhamal’ courtyard. By around 10pm, Mustafa handed over the suicide jacket near Sehwan Bus Stop (Jahaz Chowk) where Nadir told him that the mission will be executed at 6.30pm.

Nadir, Barar and Safiullah came to the room. Next day by around 6.30pm, Safiullah fixed the suicide jacket on Barar and reached the site for the mission.

Then Nadir and Safiullah rushed to Jahaz Chowk where, as per plan, Mustafa picked them up. Within a few moments, they heard the blast and the mission was completed. Two friends of Mustafa—Zulqernain and Tanveer—were also accompanied with him and they all straight drove to Rojhan Mazari to the house of Safiullah Mazari and reached there by around 1am in night. Next day Nadir left for home Saeed Khan Jakhrani where Mustafa Mazari met him after 15 days and brought Samsung S6 mobile for him and later kept frequent communication through ‘Preema App’, according to the JIT report.

“Later on, I was informed of killing of Mustafa Mazari in a military operation in Mastung, by friends. I was also in Mastung at that time and Aijaz Bangalzai asked me to transport arms and explosive to Karachi for the next attack. On motor cycle, I proceeded to Karachi carrying a pistol, a hand grenade and detonator, a circuit receiver, a remote control, 400gm of explosive and one circuit plate. I was arrested by police at Shrine Mahi Ghari, on Oct 15, 2017, when I was on my way to Karachi,” read confidential statement of Nadir.

About religious tendencies of Nadir, the JIT report further revealed that his family belonged to ‘Deobandi’ sect and his family was affiliated with JUI-F with religious and jihadi tendencies. In 2009, he met Mustafa Mazari at his village. “Mustafa Mazari belonged to Lashker-e-Jhagvi group/TTP and hailed from village Abdullah, Rojhan Mazari.

Mazari is the close relative of Maulana Abdul Rasheed Gazi and Maulana Aziz of Lal Mosque,” read JIT report. Sanaullah Abbasi, head of CTD Sindh, also confirmed this development as well as the content of this JIT report. Nadir then developed relations with Haroon and Haris, sons Gazi abdul Rasheed through Ghulam Mustafa. Nadir met Safiullah Mazari during his interactions with Mustafa and is close relative of Maulanas Abdul Aziz and Rasheed. Mustafa had taken Nadir to Rajanpur and got him admitted to Commerce College, Rajanpur for I-Com in 2011 and then he joined the LeJ and went to mountainous headquarters of LeJ/ TTP in Mastug, Balochistan, along with Ghulam Mustafa. Then he met LeJ/ TTP leaders named Raheem Brohi alias Mamo, Ejaz Bungalzai alias Rehman, Maulvi Attkli Brohim (suicide bomber killed in Quetta bombing) and Jaro Mahar.

Then he joined the newly formed Islamic State (IS) or Daesh group along with Mustafa who was made Ameer of IS assigned with operational tasks in Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab.