Pakistan

Clearing their name: TTP denies hand in capital assault

Anyone belonging to the Taliban will be questioned if found guilty of any incident during the ceasefire, says TTP.

Tahir Khan March 03, 2014

A police man picking up the name plate of a judge from the ground after the suicide attack at district and session court in Islamabad on Monday, March 3, 2014. PHOTO: INP

ISLAMABAD:

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has categorically denied any role in the Islamabad gun-and-suicide attack. Soon after the attackers struck F-8, the TTP maintained that it would not be responsible for any violence during the month-long ceasefire, including the attack at Islamabad’s district courts. TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid also said it is not the responsibility of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to investigate who are behind the terror activities in the country.

He, however, said that anyone belonging to the Taliban will be questioned if found guilty of any incident during the ceasefire.

“We have already issued instructions to all of our colleagues to stop all violent activities since the ceasefire has been announced. We will not be linked to any incident during this period,” Shahid said in the statement. “The TTP is not involved in the Islamabad attack and neither are any of its colleagues.”

The TTP spokesperson resolved, “We are bound to follow Sharia and are struggling for Sharia. We consider violation of the ceasefire contrary to Sharia and [hence] forbidden.”

“The inimical elements to Islam and the country are indulging in politics of propaganda, despite a categorical announcement by the Taliban. The Pakistani media has also adopted an irresponsible attitude,” he claimed.

The TTP’s ceasefire announcement enjoys the full backing of the Central Political Shura and the chief, Maulana Fazlullah, and no unit of the TTP can violate this ceasefire decision.

Lal Masjid reaction

Separately, Islamabad’s Lal Masjid dispelled the impression that it could be behind the brazen attack.

Hafiz Ehtesham Ahmed, the spokesman for the Lal Majid Shuhada Foundation told The Express Tribune that they have condemned the court’s attack and has no links with it.

He said the foundation’s leader, Haroon Rashid, has also condemned the attack. He also said the foundation is contemplating taking legal action against a section of the media that has tried to link the incident with Lal Masjid.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2014.