Main accused in Bilour attack arrested

ISLAMABAD: The Senate’s Committee on Interior was informed on Thursday that main accused in Peshawar suicide attack targeting Haroon Bilour was arrested from Hangu and the bomber of horrific Mastung attack has been identified as Hafiz Nawaz, a resident of Abbottabad.

A meeting of the Senate’s Committee was held with its Chairman Abdul Rehman Malik in the chair was told that Inspector General of Police Mohsin Hassan Butt briefed the committee about the deadliest terror attack in Mastung in which more than 200 people were martyred and informed the committee that suicide bomber was recognised as Hafiz Nawaz hailing from Abbottabad and further investigation is underway. “The suicide bomber was part of Daesh and had been affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi as well and facilitators of the attack have also been detected,” The IG Balochistan informed.

Meanwhile, the additional IGP briefed the committee about the blast in Peshawar which hit Haroon Bilour and told the committee that the JIT was formed soon after the incident and facilitator is arrested from Hangu and further investigation is under way.

He said that local administration and police were not informed prior to the corner meeting of ANP. “The incident would have been averted if the administration had been informed well before the meeting,” he added.

The special meeting was attended by Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmed, Senator Javed Abbasi, Senator Kulsoom Perveen and Senator Muhammad Ateeq Shaikh as members and Senator Saadia Abbasi, Senator Begum Najma Hameed, Senator Muhammad Ali Khan Saif and Senator Sitara Ayaz as special invitees. Secretary Interior, Secretary Defence, Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan, National Coordinator Nacta, Chairman Pemra, Chairman Nadra, Home Secretaries and IGPs from all provinces and IGP and Islamabad chief commissioner among others.

Election Commission of Pakistan Secretary, Babar Yaqoob, also briefed the Senate body over the security arrangements on the polling day and said that a total of 800,000 security officials and 700,000 ECP staff will perform their duties. “Bearing in mind the events of 2013, the ECP took the decision to deploy army. He said that it is for the first time that ballot papers with watermark will be used and were imported from the Europe which will ensure the transparency of the election. He said that the result management system and the transmission system have also been improved with special software with three ways mechanism for the results transmission.

He said that around 200 foreign observers have reached Pakistan to monitor the electoral process and the Election Commission is fully cooperating and facilitating them.

Senate Standing Committee on Interior Chairman Senator Rehman Malik expressed grave concerns over the use of abusive language by some politicians during election campaign and asked for stringent actions against them before the elections. The Secretary ECP said that actions have already been taken on complaints of hate speeches and use of abusive language by some politicians. He assured that elections will be held free, fair, transparent and peaceful with the help of candidates, people of Pakistan and all institutes of the state. However, ECP secretary requested that CCT cameras may be made operational across the country for vigilances and surveillances.

Senate Standing Committee Chairman Senator Rehman Malik directed the Interior Ministry to direct all the provincial home departments as well as IGPs to take cognisance of these serious concerns of ECP.

The ECP secretary strongly reputed the notion that the ECP is playing a biased role, saying such comments are hurtful as ECP is intended to conduct free, fair and transparent elections under Article 218 of the Constitution of Pakistan. He said that nation will be celebrating 25th July as Democracy Day.

Senator Rehman Malik said that this committee highly appreciates the role of the ECP and stands by it and extends full support of Parliament to conduct free, fair and transparent elections.

Islamabad IG Police also briefed the meeting and said adequate measures have been taken to make the polling day peaceful across the ICT. The Interior secretary informed the committee that regular meeting are being held with all stakeholders through video conferences about the security situation across the country. While concluding the meeting Senate Standing Committee on Interior Chairman Senator Rehman Malik appealed the people of Pakistan to come out and vote on July 25th for the future of the country considering it a prime national duty and responsibly. He said that the nation is behind Pakistan Army and all other LEAs in war against terrorism.