Provincial Police Officer Balochistan Dr Mohammad Shoaib Suddle has said that the gang involved in the terrorist attack on the Ashura procession in Quetta on March 2 last has been identified, which also includes a constable of Quetta police Ghulam Haider Lehri.
Addressing a joint press conference with Home Minister Shoaib Nausherwani and City Nazim Mohammad Rahim Kakar here on Sunday, he said the gang members belonged to defunct Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and were 10 in number, including the two terrorists Abdul Nabi and Hidayatullah, who blew up themselves with hand grenades after the incident.
He said the two proclaimed offenders Daud Badini and Usman Saifullah were also members of the gang, who are involved in almost all the sectarian killings in the province.
Other members included Abdul Aziz, Mohammad Dilshad, Manzoor Ahmed, Sher Ahmed and Mohammad Jan and police constable Ghulam Haider Lehri, who was arrested in a suspicious condition from the scene on the Ashura day.
The PPO said that the identification of the deceased terrorists was confirmed by DNA tests of their close relatives, who were traced by intelligence agencies on April 11 last after recovery of a computer CD in which both the deceased terrorists were shown announcing their war against the Shia community.
"The terrorists held two preparatory meetings at the residence of Ghulam Haider Lehri before March 2, 2004 to finalise the arrangements for attack on the Ashura procession," Dr Suddle said.
He said: "Efforts are in progress to arrest the remaining accused as well" and hoped that the police would soon eliminate the network of terrorists.