LAHORE: The Punjab police sees the involvement of banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LeJ) in the assassination of Punjab Home Minister retired Col Shuja Khanzada.

Know more: Punjab loses minister in terrorist attack

A preliminary report submitted to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif by Inspector General of Punjab Police (IGP) Mushtaq Sukhera revealed that the home minister was killed in retaliation of the killing of LeJ chief Malik Ishaq and 13 others, including his two sons, in July 29 in Muzaffargarh district.

Terming the martyrdom of Col Shuja Khanzada a national loss, the IGP said the morale and courage of the police force could not be demoralized with such incidents.

Sees LeJ behind attack

The IGP paid rich tributes to shaheed DSP Shaukat Husain Shah, 40, who had joined the police department in 1998 as an inspector. He left behind a widow and a daughter.

A senior police official, requesting anonymity, told Dawn that intelligence reports had warned about attacks on senior government functionaries, including the Punjab home minister.

He said that intelligence reports suggested the government to increase security of ministers and cabinet members.

He said the police under National Action Plan (NAP) carried out raids in different parts of the province and killed militants at their hideouts and foiled several attempts of terrorism.

On the instructions of the IGP, the security has been beefed up across Punjab in the wake of the Attock incident. The force will perform the security duty strictly in accordance with the SOP.

Quoting the IGP, a spokesman for the Punjab police said the force would remain on the frontline in war against terrorism while crackdown on terrorists would continue.

He said an inquiry into the Attock incident would be conducted and the elements involved in it would not be spared.

Meanwhile, a large number of people belonging to all walks of life gathered outside the residence of Col Shuja Khanzada in Lahore on Sunday night and lit candles there to pay him tributes.

The security in and around the residence of late Col Shuja Khanzada has been tightened.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2015

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