JIT to investigate Islamabad suicide blast

The authorities have decided to form a joint investigation team (JIT) to investigate the Sector I-10 suicide blast in the federal capital.

According to a letter issued on Saturday, an eight-member JIT will be constituted to investigate the attack, claimed by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Apart from SP Industrial Area, SDPO Vegetable Market, an investigation officer, and two officers from sensitive institutions will also be part of the JIT.

The JIT will conduct a thorough investigation into the blast and prepare a report.

A day earlier, a policeman was martyred and at least six others—including four policemen—sustained injuries in a car bombing in Islamabad.

The police had spotted a "suspicious vehicle" in the I-10/4 sector at around 10:15am with a man and a woman inside which was stopped by the Eagle Squad.

“The two came out of the vehicle. The man with long hair, while being checked by the officers, went inside the vehicle for some reason, and detonated himself," DIG Chattha said. “As a result, a police officer from the Eagle Squad was martyred and four others were injured in the incident.”

The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police identified the martyred policeman as Head Constable Adeel Hussain.

Read IGP orders high alert after Islamabad attack

"Timely action by the ICT saved the city from a terrorist attack," the police said on its official Twitter handle. Later, they clarified that both the attackers in the vehicle were males.

"The terrorists wanted to explode in a densely populated area to attack the police and public,” they said.

“Post-mortem and other investigations did not find any evidence of the presence of a woman in the car,” they added. “It is possible that the driver or the assailant had wrapped himself in a Chaddur, which might have been taken as the presence of a woman.”

The bombing took place near the police headquarters on the main road leading to government buildings housing the parliament and other high offices.

It was the first suicide attack in Islamabad since the courthouse bombing in 2014 that killed 10 people.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the bombers were after some “high-value” targets.

He also said that the capital was already on high alert due to threats of such an attack. However, the police later said that security measures were being stepped up in the capital city in the wake of the suicide bombing.

“No person will be allowed to carry arms,” the police said, advising the people to carry their necessary identity documents while travelling.