QUETTA: Security forces have killed the mastermind of the Mastung suicide bombing — which claimed 149 lives, including that of Balochistan Awami Party leader Nawabzada Siraj Raisani — in an operation in the hilly area of Kalat district on Friday.

“Hidayatullah Mufti, the mastermind of the Mastung tragedy, was killed in an operation launched by the Frontier Corps in Darenjo village,” Deputy Commissioner of Mastung Qaim Lashari said.

“Hidayatullah led a group of operatives of the so-called militant Islamic State group, who are present in different areas of Balochistan, and we hope to track them down soon,” the official said.

Suspect was said to be Balochistan leader of IS

According to official sources, FC personnel launched a search operation in the area on an intelligence report about the presence of Hidayatullah and cordoned off a compound in Darenjo village.

Hidayatullah offered resistance and opened fire on the FC men. They retaliated and a heavy exchange of fire ensued, culminating in the killing of Hidayatullah.

Sources claimed that the man killed in the gun battle was a facilitator of Hafeez Nawaz who carried out the suicide bombing at the election gathering last week.

Mr Lashari said that an investigation was under way into the suicide bombing and security forces would soon trace out the group involved in the attack.

Hafeez Nawaz was a resident of a village in Thatta district of Sindh, the deputy inspector general of Balochistan’s Counter-Terrorism Department had told a press conference the other day.

Meanwhile, IG of Balochistan FC Maj Gen Nadeem Anjum visited Mastung on Friday to condole with the families of the martyrs of the suicide attack.

Maj Gen Anjum announced that the FC would improve the buildings of a school in Killi Siraj in the Kanak area as per the wish of Siraj Raisani. “One of the martyrs wanted to educate his son in the Army Public School and the Balochistan FC takes the responsibility of the boy’s education in the APS,” he said.

The FC IG said that the people of Kanak and Mastung had vowed to fight against terrorists with armed forces.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2018