QUETTA: The mastermind of some suicide attacks and bomb blasts has been arrested, the Counter-Terrorism Department said on Sunday.

The suspect is also allegedly involved in other terrorist activities in different areas of Quetta.

The suspect, who belongs to a banned outfit and is identified as Nazimuddin alias Khalid, was arrested when he carried an explosive-laden motorcycle to conduct a terrorist attack in Quetta.

“The accused and his group were involved in 10 terrorist attacks, including suicide bombing at the vehicle of the deputy inspector general police telecommunication Hamid Shakeel in Chaman Housing Scheme,” the spokesman for the CTD said.

He said the CTD received a tip-off about the plan of a banned outfit that they were going to park an explosive-laden motorcycle to attack their target.

Acting on the information, a team was formed to trace out the terrorists, which intercepted a motorcyclist in an area on the outskirts of the city. During the search operation, an improvised explosive device (IED)was found planted in the motorbike. The suspect was taken into custody and recovered a 9mm pistol from his possession.

The CTD identified the accused as Nazimuddin alias Khalid.

According to the suspect, he and eight other members of the gang carried out the suicide attack on DIG Hamid Shakeel on Nov 11, 2017, suicide attack on RRG truck at GPO Chowk on Jan 19, 2018, FC vehicle near Dufferin Hospital on Mecongi Road on Jan 7, 2020.

Other attacks carried out by the group included a suicide attack in the parking lot of Serena Hotel on April 21, 2021, a motorcycle IED attack on an army truck near BA Mall on July 1, 2021, an IED attack outside Serena Hotel on Aug 8, 2021, another motorcycle IED attack on a truck on Balochistan University Chowk on Oct 18, 2021, a motorcycle IED attack outside Kandahari Bazaar Bukhari Centre on Dec 18, 2021, and an attack on Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam ideologue outside Science College main gate on Dec 30, 2021.

The spokesman further said that the accused during the interrogation disclosed that he and his gang were also planning attacks on the high court, a sessions court, FC and police.

A significant progress has been made in terrorism cases since the arrest of the accused and would help the CTD in preventing bomb blasts, target killings and other terrorists’ attacks in Quetta, it said.

“Raids are being carried out in different areas for the arrest of other accomplices of the suspect,” the spokesman for the CTD said.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2022