LAHORE: The first analysis report of the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) about the identity of the suspected suicide bomber indicates that Khorasani group, an offshoot of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), was behind the Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park attack.

Khorasani group of the TTP (Jamatul Ahrar) was said to be most notorious since it had leanings towards the Islamic State (IS) militant group.

The PFSA was engaged by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) after a damaged head of the suspected suicide bomber was found at the site of the blast which claimed more than 70 lives, besides injuring over 300 people, mostly children and women.

After the blast, the TTP (Jamatul Ahrar) had shared a photo of the alleged bomber, claiming responsibility of the attack.

The CTD had sent the photo to the PFSA for a detailed comparative analysis to reach a conclusion.

The analysis was done using forensic image analysis tools and software.

“After performing morphological analysis for forensic image comparison it was concluded that the “ear” seen in the questioned photo matches with the “ear” seen in the reference photo”, the PFSA’s report disclosed. A copy of the report is available with Dawn.

As only an ear of the suspected bomber was left undamaged, the analysis remained restricted to that particular body part.

“The forensic image comparison was inconclusive for other facial features due to extremely damaged condition of facial features in the questioned photograph”, the report states.

It says the analysis was conducted according to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) of the agency’s audio visual analysis department.

A senior police official who was privy to the investigation told Dawn the image analysis by the agency helped the detectives to trace the terrorists network.

However, he said, the police would not rule out other options till the completion of the investigations.

He said after the PFSA analysis report, Khorasani group was being focused on by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed by Punjab government after the blast. The group had its network of facilitators in many parts of the province, the police official added.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2016