A recent terrorist attack targeting Jamia Masjid Al-Noor in Daska, Sialkot, resulted in the tragic deaths of mosque in-charge, Shahid, and his security guard, Hashim. Both victims were killed during Fajr prayers when three out of six terrorists opened fire. Another worshipper, Abdul Ahad, sustained severe injuries and required medical attention in Gujranwala. The incident on October 11 involved the attackers initially blending in with the congregants during prayers before executing their lethal assault.
Investigation and Findings
Punjab’s Inspector General of Police, Dr. Usman Anwar, announced the arrest of the most involved in the attack and indicated that the planning originated outside Pakistan. While Dr. Anwar refrained from specifying the foreign nation supposedly behind the attack, he pointed towards a “rogue nation’s hostile intelligence agency.” The comprehensive investigation comprised of various law enforcement entities, including the police, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and Military Intelligence (MI).
The culprits, once fully identified and apprehended, will face court proceedings. Dr Anwar affirmed the presence of solid evidence, including geo-location data and hotel records, which will be presented in due course. He also promised to identify the hostile nation in his forthcoming press conference.
