LeJ founding member, three others killed in police encounter in Lahore

CTD official says one of the key leaders of the banned outfit, Haroon Bhatti, was killed during an encounter

LAHORE: Haroon Bhatti, one of the founding members of the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), along with three others was killed in a police 'encounter' in Lahore's Badami Bagh area late on Wednesday.

A Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) official said three police officials also received injuries during the cross fire.



On October 23, the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) Lahore with the help of the International Criminal Police Organisation, commonly known as Interpol arrested Bhatti and five other suspects from Dubai for allegedly plotting to target Muharram processions, government officials and official installations.

CIA SP Umar Virk said the accused were associated with the banned sectarian militant outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) and were members of its death squad.

According to superintendent CIA police Umar Virk, the suspects Bhatti, Rasheed and Ayaz were also involved in killing 14 people including Allama Nasir Abbas Naqvi, Prof Dr Syed Ali Haider and Haider’s minor son.



Earlier in July, Chief of LeJ Maliq Ishaq along with 13 militants were killed in Muzaffargarh during a shootout after gunmen attacked a police convoy and freed him as he was being moved, police said.

According to initial information, Ishaq along with his two sons were being taken by counter terrorism department (CTD) officials to a town of Muzaffargarh where they had seized an arms cache to identify men they had detained on suspicion of being members of Ishaq’s group.