Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Pakistan indicates foreign hands involved in attack on police center

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad,March 30,IRNA - Pakistan’s interior chief indicated Monday the involvement of foreign hand and militants in the attack on Police training school in the city of Lahore.

Armed men entered a police training center at 7:30 a.m., and threw hand grenades and opened fire at the policemen who were busy in a parade in the center, killing over 20 policemen and injuring around 90, police said.

Pakistani security forces arrested one of the suspected attackers, who was heading to three military helicopters to blow them up with hand grenades, officials said.

The arrested man has been identified as Hijratullah, a resident of Miranshah, the center of North Waziristan. Earlier local TV channels identified the man as Gul Khan, a Pashto speaking man from the tribal region.

Police sources said that Hijratullah had arrived in Lahore one month ago. Ana arms license was recovered from his possession, which carries the name of Nadeem Asghar, a resident of Sheikhupura in Punjab.

Interior Ministry advisor Rehman Malik said that militant outfits and foreign elements could be behind the attack.

Malik told reporters that security was put on high alert across the country after the attack in Lahore.

“The incident is part of the terror wave which begun from the country’s northwest,” he said.

“This is against country's sovereignty. The attack was carried out by those elements who wanted to destabilize the country. The terrorists are well planned and organized", Malik said.

President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the attack by unknown gunmen at a police training centre. He directed the concerned authorities to investigate into the matter and ordered the authorities to take immediate steps to control the situation.

The President said terrorism and extremism would be rooted out with full force from the country, and vowed that the perpetrators of such heinous crime would be brought to justice.

President Zardari also condoled with the families of the deceased police personnel.