On June 23, three people, including a teenager and a policeman, lost their lives and more than 20 sustained serious injuries when a powerful blast rocked the BOR Society in Johar Town. The explosion, which occurred in a car, was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED). It also destroyed private property — at least three houses and several vehicles, including a rickshaw, were blown up and the windowpanes of several nearby buildings were shattered.

The blast is believed to have been aimed at a high-value target, apparently Hafiz Saeed, the leader of the banned outfit Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD).

The deafening sound of the explosion sent panic wave among the residents of the area of whom many ran for cover or locked them in their houses fearing a terrorist raid.

The incident has left a huge question mark on the performance and capability of the law-enforcement agencies, especially the police.

The day after the deadly incident took place, the law-enforcement agencies, including the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), sprang into action and apprehended eight people. One of them, arrested from the Allama Iqbal International Airport, is said to be the mastermind of the blast. He was trying to flee.

The accused, named Peter Pal David, is said to hail from Karachi. He was based in the UAE some time ago.

The day after the deadly incident took place, the law-enforcement agencies, including the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), sprang into action and apprehended eight people. One of them, arrested from the Allama Iqbal International Airport, is said to be the mastermind of the blast. He was trying to flee.

According to the information provided to the media, the car used in the blast entered Lahore via M-2 at 9:40 in the morning on June 23. Earlier, the car made it past a police check-post at the Babu Sabu Interchange; it is believed that it did not carry the explosive device at that time. The IED was planted in the vehicle later on, after it entered the city. In the CCTV footage, released for media consumption, the driver, dressed in blue shalwar kamees, can be seen leaving the place in a hurry after parking the car at the blast site.

CCPO Ghulam Mehmood Dogar says that in order to thwart future terrorist activity, the police should operate in the light of the National Action Plan (NAP) “which provides a solid basis for law-enforcement agencies, especially the police, as to how and in which direction to go against the terrorists and other anti-state elements.”

Dogar claimed that it was due to “the tireless efforts of the police, the CTD, and other intelligence agencies that no major incident of this kind had been reported in the city over the last three years. During this period, many suspects and anti-social elements were apprehended in around 2,000 search operations carried out by the police.”

The CCPO identified two aspects of strict vigilance and continued combing operations as key: they create deterrence and eventually lead to the arrest of the culprits.

The writer is a senior journalist and can be reached at ahsanzia155@gmail.com