Investigation team rules out LeJ’s involvement

The Punjab government has ruled out the involvement of banned militant outfit LeJ in Wednesday's blasts.

LAHORE: The Punjab government has ruled out the involvement of banned militant outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al-Alami’s in Wednesday’s blasts, officials told The Express Tribune.

“Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) has only claimed responsibility in an attempt to keep itself in the eye of the media,” said SP Umer Virk from the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA). “LeJ’s leadership and main men have either been killed or are in jails.”

The provincial government has constituted a two-member committee, comprising the SSP investigation and SP CIA, to investigate the suicide attacks that killed 37 people and injured 250. According to Mayo Hospital’s management 27 bodies have been identified.

Virk said that one attacker was 22 years old and seemed to hail from Afghanistan, while the other one might be from South Punjab.

He said that they have been drawing a long-term strategy against extremism and that the police was likely to launch a big operation against militants within the next 24 to 48 hours.

Sources in the police  department told The Express Tribune that police officials were not clear about how to deal with the Sipah-e-Sahaba or the LeJ because they have yet to form a strategy against these outfits. Sources said that there is chaos in the police department because of a lack of a solid policy or plan.

When contacted, DIG Operations Lahore Rao Sardar Ali Khan admitted that the police does not have a

counter-strategy but he said that they would launch a proper operation against militants.

SP investigations of the city division Ejaz Shafi Dogar told The Express Tribune that these outfits did not have an organised structure or a base camp anywhere. “Young suicide attackers are like misguided missiles and do not have any philosophy or a roadmap before them,” he said, adding that police had its work cut out when it came to eliminating militancy from the society.

SP operations of the city division Faisal Gulzar said that he could not divulge the police’s strategy against militancy or banned outfits but said that stern action would be taken against banned organisations immediately.

The blasts took place in Lahore on Wednesday, when three suicide bombers targeted a mourning procession to mark the martyrdom anniversary of Hazrat Ali (RA). Thousands of mourners were opening their fast near Karbala Gamay Shah. The blasts, two of which the police confirmed were suicide attacks, took place in a span of 20 minutes despite what appeared to be tight police security.

A public holiday was announced in the city, DCO Sajjad Bhutta said. A congregational funeral was held at Nasir Bagh amid tight security arrangements for nine people who were killed in the attacks. The prayers were led by Agha Haider Ali Mousavi.

Almost all parts of the city, particularly the area near Lower Mall, remained deserted on Thursday. The Traders Alliance and the Shia Action Committee have announced a three-day mourning.

EDO Health Lahore Dr Khalid Ranjha said that wounded people were taken to the Ganga Ram, Mayo and Civil Service hospitals. Most were given first aid and sent home, while 127 were still under treatment. Many were shifted to other wards. Seventy-seven people are still under treatment in Mayo, 32 in Ganga Ram, four in General Hospital and 14 in Services Hospital.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2010.