DG ISPR confirms Charsadda attack was handled from Afghanistan

PESHAWAR: Director General (DG) Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR), Lt-Gen. Asim Bajwa, briefed the media on the latest developments regarding the attack on the Bacha Khan University in Charasadda that claimed over 20 lives.

In the detailed briefing on Saturday the DG ISPR shared details about the terrorists who carried out the attack, their facilitators and details regarding communication between the attackers and their handlers in Afghanistan.

During the press briefing the DG played a recording of a phone call between a reporter and the terrorist’s handlers in Afghanistan in which the attackers were identified as Umar, Usman, Ali Mohammed and Abid.

DG ISPR confirmed that the terrorists received 10 phone calls from Afghanistan and were in constant contact with their handlers, adding that there were four attackers and five facilitators.

Bajwa stressed that operations will be carried out against the terrorists and they will be eliminated.

The Attack

According to the DG ISPR, the terrorists entered Pakistan through the Torkham border check-post using public transport and made their way to Mardan.

The five facilitators that were presented before the media were termed to be dangerous terrorists based on the facilitation they had provided for the attack.

Bajwa told journalist, that facilitators Asim and Riaz provided shelter to the attackers at a house on Mardan-Charsadda road, while another facilitator identified as Nurullah shuttled the attackers till the university in a rickshaw. Another facilitator, Adil, helped the attackers conduct reconnaissance of the university campus.  

Facilitators Adil and Riaz helped procure weapons for the attackers from Dara Adam Khel, Bajwa said, adding that one facilitator’s wife and niece were also involved in procuring the weapons.

The DG added that operations are being conducted to arrest the absconding facilitator, his wife and niece.

Terrorism and Zarb-e-Azb

DG ISPR told journalists the terrorism is a global challenge that many countries are facing. Majority of the targets set for operation Zarb-e-Azb have been achieved, the DG added.

Giving details the DG said nearly 14,000 operations have been conducted, 21,000 people have been arrested. He stressed that if any sleeper cell tries to raise it’s head, they will be denied space to do so.

The DG reiterated that terrorism is a global challenge and the world will have to combat it together.

Saturday’s briefing followed a special security review meeting at the Corps Headquarters Peshawar, which was chaired by the Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif.