LAHORE, July 13: A ‘lost’ cell phone of a slain trainee has got prime importance for the joint team of intelligence agencies and the police officers probing Thursday’s terrorist attack which claimed lives of nine trainees of the Khyhber Pakhtunkhawa (KP) Prisons Department.

A senior detective who is part of the probe team told Dawn on Friday that the major focus of the investigators was a missing cell phone of a slain trainee.

He said the trainee was talking to someone on the cell phone at the doorstep of the private hostel in Rasool Park, Ichhra, and the terrorists first attacked him.

Initial investigation revealed that the cell phone was still missing and might have been taken away by the assailants, he said.

“If the cell phone is in the possession of the terrorists, we can reach them by tracing its record”, he said adding

that efforts were underway for an access to the cell phone record.

He said that at least eight to 10 terrorists took part in the deadly operation and all of them were highly trained.

Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Aslam Tareen told Dawn the investigations so far suggested the assailants were still in the provincial capital. He said several police teams in collaboration with the officials of the sensitive agencies had launched intensive search operations in various localities of the provincial capital.

“During search operations the police have taken into custody some 150 suspects”, he said adding that the arrested were being questioned.

The CCPO said though the probe team had found no clue to the terrorists, efforts were yet underway to reach them.

He hoped the missing cell phone of a trainee might lead the police to the assailants.

Meanwhile, Mr Tareen said security at all the important buildings, sensitive installations and offices of the police and law enforcement agencies had been intensified with the deployment of additional force.

“Next 24 hours are critical,” the Lahore CCPO said.

Meanwhile, IG Habibur Rehman said the Joint Investigation Team had been directed to utilise all available resources to track down the terrorists.

Addressing a meeting held at the office of the district police officer, Gujrat, on Friday, the IG said the investigation team had also been directed to step up investigation into the terror attack by keeping in view similar terror attacks at Babu Sabu interchange and an army base in Gujrat.

Gujranwala Regional Police Officer Capt Amin Vains (retired), CPO Kamran Yousaf and all district police officers of the range attended the meeting.