10 terrorists, facilitators involved in attack on Chinese engineers in Shangla arrested

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has succeeded in arresting 10 terrorists and their facilitators, who were involved in the killings of five Chinese engineers in a suicide bombing in Bisham, Shangla in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) around a week ago, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Monday.

Sources in the CTD told 24News TV channel that those taken into custody belonged to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a defunct organization.  

The suicide bomber, they disclosed, belonged to Afghanistan and the commander who had brought him here was also in the CTD custody.

Sources informed that four facilitators of the terrorists had also been arrested, while the explosive-laden vehicle was also brought from Afghanistan.

Giving further details, they said that the vehicle entered Pakistani territory at Chaman from where it went to Dera Ismael Khan and then to Chakdara. The driver was paid Rs250,000 in fare.

Sources revealed that the cellphone SIM of the suicide bomber led to the arrests of some key terrorists and their collaborators.

Furthermore, they said that the vehicle used in the suicide bombing remained parked at a petrol pump near Shangla for 10 days; for which the petrol pump owner charged them Rs500 per day.  

They went on to say that one of the persons who helped bring the vehicle from Chaman to Chakdara had been taken into custody from Balochistan.  

Sources informed that Hazrat Bilal, the mastermind of the attack, was also involved in yet another attack on the Chinese nationals at Dasu a few years ago, and expressed the hope that soon Bilal would be taken into custody as well.

A suicide bomber had rammed his explosive-laden car into a vehicle at Besham, killing five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver, police and government officials said.

Local police chief Bakhat Zahir said that the five killed were construction workers and engineers heading to the Dasu Dam, the biggest hydropower project in Pakistan, where they worked.

Authorities said the bodies were transported to a nearby hospital, and that security forces had started a search operation in the area to look for accomplices. Police said they had also launched an investigation into the attack.

Bodies of Chinese engineers flown to China

A wreath-laying ceremony was held at Nur Khan Airbase in Islamabad for the five Chinese nationals who died in a recent terror incident before their bodies were flown to China.

On behalf of the President, the Prime Minister, the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Air Staff, floral wreaths were placed at the base.

Silence for 30 seconds was observed in honour of the deceased.

In a statement, the government once again strongly condemned the Bisham terrorist incident and expressed the firm resolve to bring the terrorists and their facilitators to justice.

Reporter Amir Shahzad