Mosque suicide attack: Police arrest officer linked to attacker

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) police arrested a cop involved in facilitating the suicide bomber behind the blast at the police line mosque in Peshawar last year.

Inspector General (IG) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Akhtar Hayat Gandapur, speaking at a press conference on Tuesday in Peshawar, revealed that a policeman named Mohammad Wali was arrested a few days ago from Jamil Chowk, and two suicide jackets were recovered from him.

“It was revealed during the investigation that the suspect belonged to the police department,” KP IGP said.

The incident took place on January 2023 at the Central Hall mosque, located in the Police Line area, leading to over 100 casualties.

The suicide attacker was reportedly present in the first row of the prayer during Zuhur time when he exploded himself.

The Fitna al Khawarij (formerly Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) had taken the blast responsibility in 2023.

IG Khyber Pakhtunkhwa stated that following Mohammad Wali's contact with the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA) in 2021, he travelled to Afghanistan, where he met with terrorists, including Mohammad Khurasani, spokesperson of JuA.

Moreover, IGP unveiled that Wali transported the suicide bomber on January 20, 2023, identified as Qari, an Afghan national, from Charsadda Mosque to the Police Line mosque for reconnaissance.

Wali took the bomber on a motorcycle to Rahman Baba Cemetery, where the bomber was given a police uniform and a suicide vest. Wali then left “suicide attacker near the Police Line,” IGP added.

Additionally, Akhtar Hayat Gandapur claimed: “Mohammad Wali did this in exchange for Rs 2 lac, received via hawala-hundi at Chowk Yadgar,” further noting that the suspect was also involved in the Warsak Road bomb blast.

A video was shown in which Wali confessed to his horrific crimes during a press conference.

He stated that after his arrest by Afghan forces, a Jamaat-ul-Ahrar member, Junaid, helped secure his release.

He further confessed that he contacted the JuA’s member Junaid through social media in 2021, noting, “I personally expressed my intent to join Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, support it, and work for it.”

Mohammad Wali maintained that he joined the police department on December 31, 2019.

He, however, mentioned that following the suicide blast at the police line, he was then posted to the BRT.