Four arrested in connection with Chinese consulate attack

Suspects arrested from Karachi, Shahdadpur

KARACHI/QUETTA: The security forces on Saturday arrested two suspected facilitators of the Chinese consulate attackers as they registered a case against 13 facilitators, instructors and masterminds, belonging to a banned outfit supported by the Indian intelligence agency.

The case was registered by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on the complaint of the Station House Officer of the Boat Basin Police Station, which includes charges of murder, attempt to murder, damaging public property, terrorism and other crimes.



According to Express News, one facilitator of the terrorists was arrested in Karachi and the information gleaned from him led to another arrest in the Shahdadpur town of Sanghar district. The report said the attacker last spoke to the man arrested in Karachi.

The First Information Report (FIR) of the case names Hyrbyar Marri, the head of the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) as the main accused. It also names BLA commander Aslam Achhu alias Miraq Baloch, Bashir Zeb, Noor Bakhsh Mengal, Kareem Marri, Rehman Gul, Commander Nisar, Commander Gendi, Commander Sheikhu, Commander Sharif, Commander Hamal, Commander Munshi, Agha Sher Dil and others.

The FIR says that India’s premier spy agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), collaborated with Marri to damage the growing diplomatic and economic relations between Pakistan and China. The initial investigation report also said that the attack had no motive other than sabotaging the Pakistan-China relations.

The FIR also says that the BLA claimed responsibility for the attack, which had the support of India’s RAW. The three slain terrorists were identified as Azal Khan, Raziq Khan, and Raees. It is stated that the dead terrorists were in connection with those nominated in the FIR.

The FIR said that at around 9:15am, terrorists attacked the Chinese consulate and killed Assistant Sub-Inspector Ashraf Dawood and Constable Muhammad Amir, while Muhammad Jumman, posted at the consulate’s visa section gate, sustained injuries. Two civilians were also martyred in the attack.

During the security forces’ action, the three terrorists were killed. Because of the firing and grenade explosions, three cars were gutted, while two-police mobiles were damaged. Nine other cars parked outside the consulate were also damaged slightly.

After the killing of terrorists, the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDU) deactivated improved explosive devices (IEDs) on the premises. Kalashnikovs, bullets, loaded magazines, IEDs, explosive material, detonators, grenades, first aid material and the flag of the banned BLA were recovered from the dead terrorists.

It also said that the police recovered a Computerised National Identity Card in the name of Abdul Razzaq, son of Din Muhammad, of Kharan district, and a service card of the Balochistan Agriculture Engineering Department.

Talking to reporters outside the consulate building, CTD Incharge Raja Umar Khattab said that there were three terrorists, who carried out the attack and all the three were dead. He added that no terrorist escaped. He said the BLA claimed responsibility and RAW was behind it.

Responding to a question, he confirmed that some arrested had been made but refused to provide details. To another questions, he said the investigation was under way into the presence of Aslam Achhoo in India. He added that C4 explosives used in the attack was not locally-made. “It is possible that whoever, used the terrorists in the attack gave them the explosives too.”

According to another Express News report, the injured Muhammad Jumman said that two of the attackers had come to the consulate half an hour before the attack and sought to go to the visa section. However, they were stopped at a security barrier and denied entry because the visa section was closed at that time.

Meanwhile, police completed the forensic examination of the vehicle used by the terrorists in the attack. Investigators said that the vehicle had fingerprints of more than three people. Police have also taken fingerprints from the weapons used by the terrorists.

Separately, Balochistan Home Minister Saleem Khosa on Saturday said that security forces had apprehended two brothers of Abdul Razzaq -- one of three attackers of Chinese consulate -- from Kharan and they are being interrogated.



The threat was neutralised within an hour as the terrorists – armed with assault rifles, suicide vests and hand grenades – were killed by law enforcers.

However, two of the three policemen manning a check-post at the consulate gate were martyred while fighting off the assault.

He told a news conference in Quetta that Abdul Razzaq was listed as a missing person since 2015, and the state and law-enforcement agencies were accused of his abduction. “There are many names in the missing persons’ list, but they are actually living abroad or waging war against the state,” he said. “In Friday’s attack, we saw an example as to how the state is being maligned in the missing persons issue.”

The minister said that India was involved in providing safe havens to terrorists, funding them and killing people in Balochistan. About Achhu, he said that there were rumours of him being killed in the past. “The Indian government is providing medical assistance to the mastermind of the consulate attack,” he added.

To a query regarding killings two civilians, Khosa said that the families of the deceased had not contacted the provincial government. “If they contact, definitely the government will provide them all assistance.”