LAHORE: The police reportedly got on Sunday vital clues of the involvement of an underworld don of Lahore in the armed attack on PML-N MPA Bilal Yasin.

A police official privy to the information told Dawn the man living in Dubai these days managed the attack through local criminals.

He said the “notorious man” suspected that Mr Yasin was instrumental behind the Lahore police’s massive action against his illegal businesses in the city.

The police official said this was unveiled when the police arrested a local weapon dealer and a suspect who was given the pistol that was later used in the attack. He said the police were planning to get the prime suspect extradited.

The MPA was shot at and injured on Friday near his home in Lahore and fled.

Eyewitness of the crime Muhammad Akram told the police that after injuring the MPA, the attackers left the scene after the attack and then returned again but the bullet got stuck in the chamber of the pistol.

He said they fled the scene when some locals gathered there. A police official said the police found a pistol on the street the suspects had used in the attack. The police sent the pistol for forensic analysis.

Doctors said Mr Yasin was likely to be shifted from the intensive care unit to a private room on Monday as his health had improved fast after two successful surgeries at the Mayo Hospital.

Medical Superintendent Dr Iftikhar Ahmad told Dawn Mr Yasin was recovering fast following the timely surgeries when he was shifted to the hospital with three bullet wounds.

He said the doctors removed two bullets from his body – one from the abdomen and another from his leg – during operations.

Luckily, he said, the bullets left no harm on any organ. Doctors declared his life out of danger on Sunday.

Meanwhile, PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari gave a phone call to Mr Yaseen, inquired about his health and wished him speedy recovery.

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2022