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Pir Chambal operation: Notorious LeJ commander arrested in Waziristan

Published: December 28, 2011

Dr Arshad allegedly killed four intelligence officials and a civilian near Jhelum. PHOTO: FILE

LAHORE: Senior commander of the banned militant outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Dr Arshad, accused of killing four intelligence officials near Jhelum on November 11, has been arrested from Waziristan, sources told The Express Tribune. Whether it was North or South Waziristan, however, was not revealed.

Dr Arshad, along with four aides, has been shifted to an undisclosed location for further investigation.

The militant commander was suspected of killing four Military Intelligence (MI) officials and a civilian on November 11, Pir Chambal hills, near Jhelum.

The victims — Major Afaq Ahmed, Hawaldars Mazhar Abbas, Nike Fayyaz Ahmed, Mehmood Ahmed Shah and civilian Afsar — were said to be on a spy mission to gather information on militant hideouts in Pir Chanbal’s mountains, when they were intercepted.

Secret agencies conducted a search operation in two days that followed the killings; however, the suspects fled the region.

Dozens of people, including men and women, were taken into custody for inquiry. Three suspects, including a PCO operator identified as Adeel, were arrested outside a cement factory near the Pir Chambal shrine, while two others, said to be facilitators of the LeJ, were also detained by an intelligence agency.

Dr Arshad’s criminal record

According to a criminal record obtained by The Express Tribune, 12 cases have been registered against Dr Arshad and his accomplices between 2003 and 2011 at different police stations in the districts of Chakwal and Mandi Bahauddin.

These cases are related to murder, attempted murder, kidnapping for ransom, possession of illegal weapons, attacks on Ahmadis and terrorism.

Dr Arshad, a resident of Mao village in Mandi Bahuddin district, is responsible for killing eight Ahmadis in Mong village, near Mandi Bahuddin. A case has also registered against him on charges of firing a rocket at the Shah Taj Sugar mills situated in Mandi, as well as opening fire on a local MPA.

A case regarding the killing of PML-Q local leader Iqbal Lali’s brother was also registered against Dr Arshad.

He was involved in the abduction and torture of a former UC Nazim as well, and the killing of a local landlord and his colleague in a barber shop.

Investigation officer of Pir Chanbal Operation case Inspector Malik Mushtaq told The Express Tribune that so far Dr Arshad and his aides have not been handed over to the police by any intelligence agency.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28th, 2011.

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Reader Comments (20)

  • Adil
    Dec 28, 2011 - 1:56AM

    Good work intelligence agencies. If only the same vigour and a spirit of retribution was shown in all terrorism cases, including when a common man is the chief victim……

    Recommend

  • Patriotic
    Dec 28, 2011 - 2:06AM

    I can’t remember the last time when punishments handed to these criminals were publicly announced. If people don’t realize that such militants get harsh punishments for their crimes against humanity, militancy won’t stop! Furthermore, faith in our justice system would be lost in the eye of the common citizens. These criminals should be severely punished by handing them at-least life-in-prison sentences or better yet, death sentences and these punishments should be announced in public, else militancy can’t be stopped!

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  • Shahid
    Dec 28, 2011 - 2:18AM

    After getting important intelligence informations shoot him.We don’t have any trust on courts.They are too coward to sentence any jihadi.

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  • Farhan
    Dec 28, 2011 - 2:36AM

    And that is why we love the army, you mess with one of them they’ll find you no matter where you are!

    Look at the crimes of Dr Arshad and one wonders why wasn’t arrested long before!

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  • A Patriotic Pakistani
    Dec 28, 2011 - 4:22AM

    And now our ‘respected’ Chief Justice will release him in a couple of months. The real perpetrator of terrorism is our justice system!

    Our ‘respected’ courts released some very well known terrorists during the last few years including Ilyas Kashmiri (TTP leader responsible for deaths of thousands of innocent Pakistanis), Malik Ishak (Self confessed killer of 100 Muslims from other sects) and many more.

    Recommend

  • OG
    Dec 28, 2011 - 5:34AM

    @Shahid:
    if we shoot them then what is the difference between us and those animals? people like him should be thrown in jail for life where they should suffer for years to come for the crimes they committed

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  • Mard-e-Haq
    Dec 28, 2011 - 6:05AM

    @Patriotic,

    I concur. I can’t remember the last time a terrorist was hanged or sentenced to death. I am sure some way could be engineered to set the likes of Dr Arshad free, or reduce his sentence to a few years…upon which he can be paroled.

    Recommend

  • aceleaf
    Dec 28, 2011 - 6:33AM

    Dr Arshad and so many like him are creations of proxy war. Blue eyed boys turnd dirty guys were crafed, maintained and used. Now, please, dispose them properly.
    Case of thanks but no thanks.

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  • usman
    Dec 28, 2011 - 7:12AM

    Hang them upside down.

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  • Max
    Dec 28, 2011 - 7:49AM

    Put him in front of a firing squad and then hang his body in an intersection either in Lahore or Islamabad/Rawalpindi.
    Such people deserve nothing less than this.

    Recommend

  • numbersnumbers
    Dec 28, 2011 - 8:43AM

    Time for Pakistan to use Military Tribunals to judge terrorists, since in “civilian” courts they are sure to be released due to “lack of evidence”! After some 30,000 Pakistanis have been killed (and many times that maimed) over the last decade by these “holy warriors”, how many have you ever read about that were caught, tried, and convicted in court? With such a lack of “consequences”, it is no wonder that the scourge of terrorism has flourished in Pakistan!

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  • sabir khan
    Dec 28, 2011 - 8:44AM

    i agree

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  • Mubarik
    Dec 28, 2011 - 10:56AM

    Please don’t blame Judges for relasing these Holy Warriors, after all judges have families too and they want to live. Thus justice becomes secondary to survival.

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  • Ali-wali
    Dec 28, 2011 - 12:35PM

    According to Islamic rule of an eye for an eye, the relatives of his victims should be allowed to take care of this criminal coward and his associates, this will ensure justice without judges fearing for their and their family’s lives.Recommend

  • sam
    Dec 28, 2011 - 1:02PM

    Why a terrorist gets caught only when he kills military or intelligence people. Do civilian lives has no value?

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  • Ishrat Salim
    Dec 28, 2011 - 5:55PM

    The criminals & terrorists are apprehended…no doubt…but it has been revealed more than once that they get bail or acquitted by the court because the persecutors are not able to prove anything against them as we hv a very weak investigation wing with no forensic lab on modern lines in the police dept nor there are any witnesses in such incidents because the witnesses are afraid for their own lives as we do not hv any witness protection program….having identified these weaknesses on many occassions yet our govt has not been able to resolve the issue…hence, we cannot blame our justice system only.Recommend

  • Dec 28, 2011 - 9:26PM

    I am very disappointed to read my fellow pakistanies posts and considering this is an english website then i should persume they will be educated enough to understand how rule of law is enforced.
    1. To Those who beleived if someone has commited hinous crimes , it does not mean he should not be given fair trial.
    2. Similarly those who believe courts do not punish jehaadi’s , you have to remember , court follow evidence and witnesses and anyone who is aware of our security agencies know that how they care for these things. That is biggest reason these people easily get out of the trails. one more thing , these witnesses are people like us who happily curse the law whilst writing on such blogs and news sites but dont have courage to speak truth in a witness box.

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  • Shahid
    Dec 28, 2011 - 9:40PM

    @OG: The difference is that they kill innocent people while they should be killed for the heinios crimes committed. In war like situation and absence of any effective judiciary there is no other short term solution.

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  • Ali-wali
    Dec 28, 2011 - 10:21PM

    @Usman Bashir: you are delusional Sir.

    Recommend

  • Naveed
    Dec 29, 2011 - 12:50AM

    This is a criminal silence by Pakistanis which favors injustice. Thanks to the police, protection to no one is guaranteed.

    Recommend

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