Police investigation into the suicide-bombing incident in Bhakkar in Punjab in August this year revealed that the killing was done through a suicide-bomber “bought” in South Waziristan. The targeted man was killed in the attack but so were other people, and the incident was generally described as sectarian, unleashing tensions between sects that gave rise to further violent events in the region. The police have now revealed that one Waqqas Hussain and his four accomplices had “hired” a suicide bomber and an explosives expert from Wana to kill a former friend of theirs with whom they had a monetary dispute.

So now we know that a suicide bomber can also be bought to settle personal scores, according to police investigation into the Bhakkar blast which left over 26 people dead in August. Rs 1.2 million were paid to someone who trains suicide-bombers for warlord Baitullah Mehsud, and the bomber was delivered at Bhakkar one day before the incident. The target was killed, but so was the PMLN MNA Mr Rashid Akbar Khan Niwani, the arbitrator between the parties. This means that today’s suicide-bombings are not exclusively linked to faith but to also to crime. And this raises questions about our changing society that we can hardly answer yet. (Daily Times, 25 Dec 2008)

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CID uncovers truth behind suicide attack in Bhakkar

* Enmity between two Bhakhar residents over non-payment of borrowed money led to the attack
* Haji Jaan Muhammad Wazir provided the accused with suicide bomber for Rs 1.2 million
* Attack at Niwani’s residence killed 26 people including the debtor

Staff Report

LAHORE: Crime Investigation Department (CID) officials have arrested five suspects who they say planned a suicide attack at the residence of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Member of National Assembly (MNA) Rasheed Akber Niwani.

The officials said the suicide attack was the result of a monetary dispute. The arrested were identified as Waqas Hussain, Dr Nazar Hussain, Muhammad Arif Khan, Muhammad Amjad and Saeed Amjad.

Enmity: According to a handout issued by the CID, Waqas Hussain, who it says planned the attack, had a monetary dispute with one Ijaz Hussain. Waqas had borrowed Rs 2,145,000 from Ijaz with a high interest rate to set up a business of sale and purchase of cars. The CID officials said Waqas suffered serious losses and gave Ijaz seven high-valued vehicles against the debt, but Ijaz demanded Rs 5,400,000 in addition to the vehicles.

The officials alleged both parties tried to involve each other in various corruption cases. Dr Nazar Hussain, father of Waqas Hussain, requested a notorious local Arif Khan to help them register a case of Waqas’ kidnapping against Ijaz Hussain. The complaint was lodged at the Darya Khan Police Station in Bhakhar District under section 342 and 343 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Ijaz Hussain took the matter to Rashid Akber Niwani. The PML-N leader called the two parties at his residence to listen to their case, and announced a date of August 6, 2009 for another meeting.

Suicide bomber: Meanwhile, Waqas and his father contacted Arif Khan again. Khan suggested they hire a suicide bomber from the Northern Areas to murder Ijaz. Exploiting sectarian differences, Waqas approached Haji Jaan Muhammad Wazir, resident of Wana, to complain against the Shia PML-N’s leader. Haji Jaan Muhammad Wazir promised to send a suicide bomber and an expert of explosives to plan a suicide attack at Niwani’s residence after charging them Rs 1,200,000.

Attack: Only a day before the attack on Niwani’s house, Wazir handed over a suicide bomber with explosives material and an expert to them. On the day of the incident, Waqas confirmed the presence of Ijaz Hussain at the PML-N leader’s residence with the help of a local dispenser Amjad Abbas Shah, and led the suicide bomber to Niwani’s house. The suicide bomber exploded himself close to Ijaz Hussain, claiming the lives of 26 people.(Daily Times)

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