‘Killer’ of BHC ex-chief justice nabbed

CTD claims attacker is member of outlawed BLA

QUETTA:

The Balochistan Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Saturday claimed arresting the terrorist involved in the target killing of former Chief Justice Balochistan High Court (BHC) Muhammad Noor Meskanzai.

The accused was arrested from Kharan in a joint operation with security forces and other agencies.

Addressing a press conference at Central Police Office, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) CTD, Ayetzaz Ahmed Goraya said security forces and police conducted a joint operation and arrested the accused involved in the killing of former top judge of the province.

Muhamamd Noor Meskanzai was killed outside a mosque in Balochistan’s Kharan district on October 14.

The banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) had claimed the responsibility for the attack.

DIG said the accused, identified as Shafqatullah, has confessed killing Meskanzai.

The DIG CTD also played a video statement of the accused before the reporters.

In the video statement, the accused with black-beard confessed killing the former chief justice BHC. He also disclosed the names of two co-accused during the video statement.

“I was getting instructions from our commander in the neighboring country,” Shafqatullah said.

When asked about the neighboring country, DIG Goraya preferred not to mention the name of the country. Although, he said details about this neighboring country were being shared with the federal government and high ups.

The Balochistan government had formed a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe into the killing of former chief justice BHC.

Goraya led the investigation team probing the murder of the former CJ. Chief Minister Balochistan, Mir Quddus Bizenjo has hailed the efforts of the CTD and investigation team members for arresting the culprit involved in the murder successfully.

In a statement issued after the arrest, Bizenjo said that his government is determined to bring the perpetrators of this attack to book.