Security Forces have gathered satisfactory information about the Charsadda attackers: General Asim Bajwa

Dunya News

The terrorists who carried out the attack were using Afghan SIMs

Dunya News Report (Jibran Dost)

PESHAWAR: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt General Asim Bajwa on Wednesday expressed that major advancements had been made in identifying the terrorists who carried out an attack on Bacha Khan University in Charsadda.

According to General Bajwa, the terrorists who carried out the attack were using Afghan SIMs. One of the terrorists was receiving calls from Afghanistan even after he was killed.

He also added that terrorists were alive when security forces got inside the building. They were killed on the stairs and the roof. They were also equipped with hand grenades.

“We have gathered all relevant data about where these terrorists came from and who sent them,” General Bajwa said while addressing the media in Peshawar after a high-level briefing took place in Corps headquarters Peshawar under Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif.

General Bajwa also added that within 45 minutes, all terrorists were contained inside the building. In fact, this is a success of the security forces.

Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif arrived at Pakistan Army Corps Headquarters in Peshawar the same day to chair a special security conference. All officials and intelligence men participated in the conference.

The ISPR Chief said that SIM cards and two mobile phones were recovered from the terrorists, which were traced and analyzed. “Their call logs were analysed and an intelligence picture was established, with most data having been collected,” said Gen Bajwa.

Furthermore, forensics and fingerprints were shared with NADRA to obtain a much clearer picture regarding the identity of the terrorists. “An intelligence picture is also being created with input from NADRA,” he stated.

However, the ISPR Chief stated that because the information is sensitive and still under process, it cannot be shared with the public at the moment. After it is processed and updated, it will be available to the public.

On the other hand, Gen Bajwa claimed that the terrorists who carried out the attack were getting information from outside and were receiving calls from outside. Intelligence Based Operations (IBOs) are carried out to track down the terrorists involved in the attack.

Lt-Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa said the whole nation is united to defeat the terrorists and the achievements of Operation Zarb-e-Azb are before everyone. He said most of the hideouts of the terrorists have been destroyed and they are now targeting innocent people in frustration.

On the other hand, the mastermind of the APS Peshawar attack, Umar Mansoor, of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Geedar group has claimed the attack through a post on his Facebook page, adding that four attackers were sent to the university.