The terrorists killed in Kala Shah Kaku belonged to Al-Qaida:Shuja Khanzada

Lahore: Provincial Minister for Home Col. Retd. Shuja Khanzada has said that all terrorists who were killed or arrested in joint operation in Kala Shah Kaku belonged to Al-Qaida and their target was headquarters of Intelligence Bureau on Mall Road on June 29.

However, he said, due to successful operation carried out by law enforcement agencies, the head of Al-Qaida in Pakistan and Punjab was killed who was also leading this plan. He said that in the light of information received from arrested terrorists, special teams have been sent to Karachi, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and other areas.

He was addressing a press conference at 90-Shahrah Quaid-e-Azam, here today. Spokesman Punjab government, Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri, Inspector General Police Punjab Mushtaq Ahmed Sukhera and Additional IG Counter Terrorism Department were also present on the occasion. Shuja Khanzada said that due to Zarb-e-Azb and Khyber-II operations, terrorists have dispersed and a number of them have left the country. He said that a plan was hatched by some terrorists to carry out terrorist attack in Lahore and they also had the support of Al-Qaida leadership. He said that the nominated leadership of Al-Qaida in Punjab was leading this plan. He said that the target of terrorists was Intelligence Bureau Mall Road.

He said that in the light of information given by ISI, an alert was issued one week ago and secret agencies of Punjab started their work. The Home Minister said that law enforcement agencies also knew that Lahore was the target of terrorists. He congratulated Pak Army, ISI, Counter Terrorism Department and other law enforcement agencies for taking timely action and foiling the designs of terrorists.

Col. Shuja Khanzada said that there were intelligence reports that three persons have left from Wana, South Waziristan, out of which, two were suicide bombers and third was their leader. These terrorists got on a bus on June 24 from Dera Ismail Khan and their leader went back. He said that two terrorists stayed at the center of a Tableghi Jamat for two nights from which they were brought to Al Raheem Housing Society of Al-Kareem Town in Kala Shah Kaku where a terrorist had already rented a house for five thousand rupees per month.

He said that after intelligence surveillance when the law enforcement agencies were sure that all terrorists were in the house, ISI, CTD and other forces conducted a raid in which two terrorists Hamza and Abdullah were injured in firing who were taken into custody. A member of intelligence agency was also injured in the firing from inside the house. He said that firing between security forces and terrorists continued for 20 to 25 minutes during which a terrorist came out and wanted to carry-out a suicide attack on security agencies but he was killed.

He said that among the terrorists, who were killed Faisal Mubashir belonged to Faisalabad, Saqib Hussain to Rawalpindi and Muhammad Nauman of Tank whereas terrorists who wanted to carry out suicide attack was named Abdali and was the leader of the Al-Qaida for Pakistan and Punjab.

The Home Minister further said that Maulana Asif Umer of India is the leader of Al-Qaida for the whole subcontinent and in Afghanistan at present. He said that earlier, the leader for this area was  Mahmood who was an American nationality holder and was killed in a drone attack.

Shuja Khanzada said that four kalashinoves, 26 loaded magazines, two rocket launchers, 32 launchers,  four suicide jackets, 41 hand grenades, four remote control devises, 15 detonaters, pistols, bullets, 15 kilograms RDX and other latest weapons have been recovered from terrorists.  The terrorists also received training in Al-Qaida camp for five months.

Replying to questions, he said that intelligence is being shared with Afghanistan. He said that in the light of information received from terrorists, special teams have been sent to Karachi, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad.  He said that effective measures are being taken for controlling funding to terrorists. A briefing was also given in the press conference while video statements of terrorists and the weapons recovered from the house were also shown to the journalists.