The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police, Akhtar Hayat Khan Gandapur, announced the arrest of a police constable, Muhammad Wali, linked to the 2023 Peshawar Police Lines mosque bombing that killed 84 people.
On January 30, 2023, a devastating explosion occurred during prayers at a mosque within Peshawar’s Red Zone, predominantly attended by 300-400 police officers.
The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) initially claimed, then denied responsibility for the attack, which sources attributed to a local faction of the banned group.
At a press conference in Peshawar, IG Gandapur identified Wali as a facilitator for the suicide bomber, known as Qari. Wali was apprehended with two suicide jackets near Jameel Chowk on Peshawar’s Ring Road.
The investigation revealed Wali’s affiliation with the banned Jamaatul Ahrar, from which he received significant sums through the hundi-hawala system and monthly payments of Rs40,000 to Rs50,000.
Gandapur disclosed that Wali was instrumental in transporting the bomber to the Pir Zakori bridge and later confirmed the attack’s success to his handler via Telegram.
Further implicating Wali, the IG linked him to a February 2024 incident where he provided a pistol to a Jamaatul Ahrar member in Lahore for an intended attack on an Ahmadi community member.
The KP IG also mentioned Wali’s involvement in a January 2022 assault on a priest at Jameel Chowk in Peshawar.
Gandapur highlighted the role of social media in radicalization, noting that extremist groups utilize it for recruitment and propaganda.
In response to ongoing terrorism, the government officially labelled the TTP as Fitna al Khawarij in July, urging institutions to refer to such militants as khariji (outcasts).
Details about the bomber and his network, including connections to Afghan nationals, have been progressively uncovered by the KP Counter-Terrorism Department, marking a significant advancement in addressing terrorist activities in the region.
