KU bomb blast: Terrorists took advantage of suicide bomber’s mental health, says minister

KARACHI: The Counter-Terrorism Department on Tuesday disclosed the arrest of the commander of sleeper cell of outlawed Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) over charges of facilitating the female suicide bomber that targeted the Chinese teachers at the University of Karachi.

The arrest was disclosed by Sindh Minister for Information Sharjeel Inam Memon during a press conference held at the Driving Licence Branch auditorium in Clifton. He told the journalists that the arrest was made in the Hawkesbay area. He said four characters, including the mastermind, were involved in the KU blast and all the four had been identified. One of them has been arrested from the Mauripur area. He was flanked by administrator Karachi Murtaza, CTD and Rangers officials.

"Our sensitive installations were on the target of terrorists,” Memon explained. “Shari Baloch’s case is also being examined by the psychological team as her husband and a trainer took advantage of her poor mental health.”

He said that the arrested terrorist entered Pakistan from a neighbouring country, adding that the terrorists carried out terror activities in Pakistan with the help of neighbouring countries to stop the investments in our country. They wanted to destablise our country. “No one is bigger than the state,” he mentioned. “They are using disturbed women to carry out their operations.”

In reply to a question, Memon said that he will not disclose the name of the neighbouring country and that country will be informed diplomatically that its land was being used for terror activities in Pakistan.

A Rangers official told the media that the physiological team also examined Shari Baloch’s video and apparently, she was brainwashed and different medicines were also used on her.

Murtaza Wahab said that Shari Baloch was not alone in the KU as one important terrorist was also present in KU, who had left the varsity before the attack and he wore a mask. The second mastermind of the attack was Shari Baoch’s husband, the third one was Dad Buksh who has been arrested. The identity of their fourth mastermind Bashir Zaib was also revealed.

“They (LEAs) succeeded in probing the case, CTD intelligence, Rangers and all the secret agencies made efforts jointly and also made an exchange of information to resolve the case,” the minister explained.

“CTD intelligence’s team with the help of CCTV footage, geo-fencing, fingerprints, DNA and on the basis of information provided by different agencies conducted a raid in the Hawkesbay area, Mauripur Road, and arrested the commander of the BLF’s sleeper cell.”

The alleged arrested commander has been identified as Dad Buksh alias Shoaib alias Jahanzaib alias Mirza alias Nabeel alias Murad, son of Muard Ali. He was arrested in Monday’s raid. However, his arrest was disclosed on Tuesday during the press conference.

The arrested commander stated during the interrogation that he is the head of the sleeper cell of BLA in Karachi and used to conduct recce of the targets for the BLA, including the recce of sensitive installations and Chinese nationals working in the University of Karachi on the orders of his organisation’s commander, Khalil Baloch alias Moosa. He also held meetings with the Habitan Bashir, the husband of Shari Baloch, the female suicide bomber who attacked the Chinese tutors in KU and other important commanders including Zaib in Karachi and remained in coordination with them till the KU blast occurred.

The arrested commander further revealed that BLA commander Zaib is the mastermind of the Chinese attack in KU, who entered the Pakistani territory from a neighbouring country and had stayed at the house of Habitan and his wife Shari Baloch’s residential apartment in Dehli Colony area in Karachi. The arrested terrorist is also himself an expert of making improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and in the aftermath of the suicide attack in KU, he escaped to Balochistan from Karachi on the orders of his commander Khalil Baloch. The terrorists contacted each other through Telegram. The network of terrorists also uses foreign countries' territories.

The arrested terrorist also revealed that he along with his companions including Nasir alias Haris and Shahzad had also opened fire at the vehicle of two Chinese nationals in the Gulbai area in July 2021, injuring one of the Chinese nationals. The terrorists further revealed that he had joined the BLF in 2013 and also admitted his involvement in attacking security forces in Balochistan several times but escaped to a neighbouring country after his name was unearthed following the 2017 attack on the security forces in Balochistan. His commander Khalil Baloch also asked him to move to a neighbouring country to avoid the arrest and he again returned to Karachi on Khalil Baloch’s order.

The arrested sleeper cell commander revealed that the KU attack was jointly conducted by BLA and BLF. He went to a neighbouring country in 2020 and got training of making IEDs from commander Zaib in the basement of the house of Captain Gul in BLA’s Majeed Brigade’s headquarter. Zaib is a notorious terrorist and an expert in making IEDs. Commander Zaib had entered the KU before the Shari Baloch on the day of the attack on April 26 and later quickly left the varsity following the attack. The arrested terrorist held meetings in other countries with BLA chief Bashir Zaib, BLF head Khalil Baloch, Dr Nazarullah and important commanders of the both outlaws.

He further unveiled during the interrogations that there was a pre-planned conspiracy for using women, children and students and the outlaws’ efforts to recruit them had increased last year. The suspect was produced before an anti-terrorism court on Tuesday and his physical remand until July 16 was granted.