Showdown in Shera Kot: Four men linked to Khanzada’s murder slain

CTD searching for another four who managed to escape

LAHORE: Police claimed to have killed four terrorists who were allegedly involved in the assassination of Punjab Home Minister Colonel (retired) Shuja Khanzada on the outskirts of Lahore on Thursday.

The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Lahore police raided a suspected hideout near Badur village, within in Shera Kot police limits early on Thursday. A senior official of the CTD said as they were conducting the raid, the suspects opened fire on them. In the ensuing exchange of fire, four militants were killed, while four others managed to escape. A search was launched for the militants who had managed to flee.

The slain militants were identified as Amjad, Fayyaz, Sadaqat and Saddam. The official added that the militants belonged to Attock and were believed to be involved in the attack on slain provincial minister.

SHO Shera Kot police station Khawaja Hassan Raza said that the CTD have yet to register a report of the incident.

The raid comes days after law enforcement agencies had arrested Qasim Muawiya, the mastermind of the attack on Khanzada.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2015.