- Eight-member team will interrogate arrested suspects and submit a report to Interior Ministry within 15 days
ISLAMABAD: The Interior Ministry on Friday formed a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to investigate the suspects involved in the Karachi airport blast that targeted Chinese nationals.
At least three, including two Chinese nationals were killed and dozen others injured in the blasts that took place took place on October 6, near Jinnah Airport in Karachi.
The eight-member JIT will interrogate the arrested suspects – Muhammad Javed and Gul Nisa, and submit a report to the Interior Ministry within 15 days.
The JIT, headed by Deputy Inspector General of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), comprises officials from security agencies, Rangers, Special Branch, Karachi Police, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The JIT is authorized to seek assistance from any investigative agency.
The formation of the JIT comes after the arrest of Javed and Gul Nisa from Sindh and Balochistan, respectively. Earlier, an anti-terrorism court in Karachi sent two suspects on a 10-day physical remand in connection with the recent blast near Karachi Airport.
As per details, the two suspects Javed and Gul Nisa were produced in court after their initial remand expired. The investigation officer informed the court that Javed had been identified by eyewitnesses.
According to the police, the suspects provided assistance to the suicide bomber, who targeted a convoy of Chinese nationals near the airport. The police claimed that the suspects are linked with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army.
The Chinese Embassy in Islamabad condemned the attack and offered assistance to Pakistan to tackle the growing terrorist attacks.
As per Xinhua news outlet, the banned outfit Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the attack through a statement on a social media platform, while the Pakistani authorities have not confirmed it.
