Pro-Taliban Excepted Responsibility of Lahore Attack

//www.nhatky.in

New Delhi: All efforts by Pakistan to haul up India for the car bomb blast in Lahore proved to be futile, as a pro-Taliban local group on Friday claimed responsibility of the December 24 explosion that killed one and injured four.

A terrorist group named Ansar Wa Mohajir has claimed the responsibility of the Lahore blast, dashing Pakistan’s hopes to malign India in the international community by retorting that India is resorting to tit-for-tat violence.

A man identifying himself as Toofan Wazir, the commander and spokesman of the group, phoned a daily from somewhere in North Waziristan to claim responsibility of the Lahore blast and earlier rocket attacks on Dera Ismail Khan city.

Wazir also threatened more attacks against security forces and government installations to avenge two recent US missile strikes in North Waziristan in which several militants from Punjab province were killed.

Meanwhile, Wazir claimed his men were “Ansar” (fighters) who hosted “Mohajir” or refugees from different countries and people from places in Pakistan who came to find refuge in Waziristan. He said the group is committed to protect foreigners, who are guests of the local tribesmen.

However, there was a discrepancy in Wazir’s account of the attack in Lahore. He claimed it was a suicide bombing targeting a government installation. Police have said the blast was caused by explosives hidden in a truck.

The report said it appeared “obvious that he (Wazir) and his men are pro-Taliban and part of the Pakistani Taliban”.

The revelation made by a reputed Pakistani media organisation is very important as intelligence agencies there had claimed to have arrested “an Indian secret agent” and three others for their involvement in the blast in the eastern Pakistani city.

The Indian man arrested was even identified as Satish Anand Sharma, a resident of Kolkata, the reports had claimed, adding he had supposedly served in the Indian High Commission in London for more than three years. A camera and a pistol were reportedly found in their possession.

However, official of the Indian High Commission on Thursday refuted the reports, saying “We have not been informed in any manner by the Pakistani authorities about the arrest of any Indian citizen in Lahore. All we have seen are the media reports in this regard.”

In fact, the reports also claimed that Sharma has already confessed his hand in the blast and revealed details about his other three associates, who are hiding somewhere in Pakistan.

The Pakistan intelligence officials had claimed that Sharma was currently living in Pakistan in disguise of Muneer.

The tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad mounted in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks, for which the Pakistan-based elements were blamed.

News via