PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) police have arrested Mohammad Wali, the chief facilitator of the 2023 suicide bombing at Peshawar Police Lines that claimed 101 lives and left 223 injured.
Addressing a news conference in Peshawar on Tuesday, KP Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Akhtar Hayat revealed that Wali, a resident of Peshawar, was employed as a constable in the KP police.
Wali joined the KP police in 2019 but in 2021 established contact with Junaid, an agent of Jamaatul Ahrar, via Facebook. Junaid, based in Afghanistan, recruited individuals through social media. Wali confessed during interrogation that he met Junaid in Jalalabad after obtaining a week’s leave and traveling to Afghanistan via the Chaman border.
During his visit, Wali also met Jamaatul Ahrar commanders Salahuddin and Mukarram Khurasani in Kunar province and pledged allegiance to Mullah Yousaf, receiving Rs20,000 for joining. Upon his return, he was briefly detained by Afghan forces but was released through Jamaatul Ahrar’s intervention.
While serving at Peshawar Police Lines, Wali was instructed by Junaid to avenge the death of commander Khalid Khurasani. In January 2023, Wali shared pictures and maps of Peshawar Police Lines with Junaid and later facilitated the suicide attacker, Qari, who was an Afghan national. On the day of the attack, Wali brought Qari, dressed in police uniform and wearing a suicide jacket, to the site. Following the blast, Wali confirmed its success to Junaid via Telegram and received Rs200,000 as a reward through hundi.
Wali also confessed to previous crimes, including the January 2022 murder of a Christian priest in Peshawar and several IED attacks on Warsak Road.
In February 2024, Wali contacted Saifullah, another Jamaatul Ahrar terrorist, in Lahore and provided a pistol used in the killing of a Qadiani. In March 2024, Wali supplied a pistol to Faizan Butt, who murdered two police officers. He also delivered explosives and ammunition for various attacks.
In June 2024, Wali handed a suicide jacket to a terrorist, Luqman, intending to target Lahore, but Luqman was arrested before the attack. Wali admitted to hiding suicide jackets in Peshawar’s Chowk and Chamkani areas, providing video proof to Junaid as evidence.
