Suspected mastermind of Shuja Khanzada attack sent on 14-day remand

CTD official says Qasim Muawiya was arrested in Rawalpindi and presented before a judicial magistrate

RAWALPINDI: A man suspected of being the mastermind of the attack on slain Punjab home minister Colonel (retd) Shuja Khanzada was sent on a 14-day remand in the custody of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Tuesday.

CTD arrested Qasim Muawiya and presented him before Rawalpindi judicial magistrate. The judge sent Muawiya on a 14-day remand in custody of the CTD.

Khanzada was killed along with 16 others in a suicide blast at his political office in Shadi Khan near Attock

Read: Khanzada attack in retaliation of LeJ chief's killing: sources

The 71-year-old had been holding a meeting with local people and was trapped with several others under the rubble after the blast brought down the roof of the house.

Two suicide bombers affiliated with the Taliban carried out the bombing, a provincial government official had earlier said. Two additional suicide bombers had been deputed to Lahore to attack Khanzada's residence, the official said, but they were recalled after the Attock attack.

Read: Splinter group of militants responsible for attacking Shuja Khanzada: Rana Sanaullah

Further, a preliminary report regarding the blast suggested it was in retaliation for two major actions of Punjab Police in the province.

The preliminary report which was presented to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif by law enforcement agencies and Punjab IG Mushtaq Sukhera suggested Khanzada was attacked in retaliation for the killing of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) chief Malik Ishaq.