PESHAWAR: Caretaker Chief Minister Azam Khan has constituted a high-level inquiry committee to probe yesterday’s police line mosque blast from all aspects.
Speaking to media persons along with KP Inspector-General of Police Moazzam Jah Ansari, the interim CM said the inquiry committee had been constituted to identify and fix responsibility for the gruesome act. “The committee would probe the blast from different angles and would submit a report at the earliest”, he added.
The IGP informed that about 10-12kg explosives were used in the powerful blast, adding a suicide bomber blew self up in the mosque at around 1pm during Zohr prayers, causing the roof to come down upon those offering prayers at that time, which increased the number of casualties.
Ansari said security lapse could not be avoided and investigations were underway to ascertain the facts. “We are checking one-month’s CCTV footage and tracking the facilitators of the bomber,” he added.
A joint investigation team (JIT) has been notified and the probe will clear everything soon, he said. “Those responsible will be identified and brought to book,” he added.
The rescue operation to retrieve bodies from the debris of the mosque has been concluded, said Bilal Faizi, the spokesperson for Rescue 1122.
A preliminary investigation report of the explosion has been sent to Prime Minister, the sources said, adding the evidence found at the site of the incident indicated that it was a suicide attack and its target was the police.
The roof tumbled down as the pillars collapsed, causing a lot of damage. The sources added that a high-level investigation committee has been constituted to look into the security lapses. The CCTV footage from the Police Lines gate and family quarters is being investigated.
There are over 2,000 policemen in the Police Lines working with eight different departments. A large number of civilians visit police lines on a daily basis where family quarters also existed besides construction work going near the blast site with workers coming in and going out every day, the IGP added.
