Justice Baqar attack: LJ man admits involvement, sent on judicial remand

Published July 24, 2013
Paramilitary soldiers and police officers gather at the site of the blast targeting Justice Maqbool Baqar, June 26, 2013. — Reuters photo
Paramilitary soldiers and police officers gather at the site of the blast targeting Justice Maqbool Baqar, June 26, 2013. — Reuters photo

KARACHI: Masoom Billa, alias Abu Bakar, who was arrested in relation to the bomb blast in Karachi targeting Sindh High Court's Justice Maqbool Baqar has admitted to his involvement in the planning of the attack before a local court on Wednesday.

The court subsequently ordered the judicial remand of Lashkar-i-Jhangvi's Billa, who was produced before the court by police, until July 29.

In a statement in court today, Billa said he and his accomplices had worked on the planning of the attack at the residence of Bashir Leghari, another LJ man who had been "detained in injured condition after a serious encounter" on July 17 and died shortly afterwards. Leghari was named as the prime suspect in the bombing of June 26 which was on the contrary claimed by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Billa also spoke of an explosives-laden motorbike which had been taken to Burns Road for the purpose of carrying out the attack on the senior judge.

He said the explosives were detonated using a remote control as Justice Baqar's vehicle began crossing a particular patch of the road.

Billa was moreover identified in the court by an eye-witness who testified that the LJ man himself had detonated the explosives.

Justice Baqar, who was the target of the June 26 attack, miraculously survived the bombing. His driver and eight security personnel escorting him died in the attack.

The blast was so powerful that one of the motorcycles of the Rangers personnel flew and landed on the roof of a mosque and the other on the roof of a nearby home.

The explosion blew the car of the justice, police mobiles and two motorcycles of Rangers into pieces. The bomb moreover caused a two feet deep crater on the spot. Windowpanes of homes and shops within the 30-metre area were shattered.

Opinion

The risk of escalation

The risk of escalation

The silence of the US and some other Western countries over the raid on the Iranian consulate has only provided impunity to the Zionist state.

Editorial

Saudi FM’s visit
Updated 17 Apr, 2024

Saudi FM’s visit

The government of Shehbaz Sharif will have to manage a delicate balancing act with Pakistan’s traditional Saudi allies and its Iranian neighbours.
Dharna inquiry
17 Apr, 2024

Dharna inquiry

THE Supreme Court-sanctioned inquiry into the infamous Faizabad dharna of 2017 has turned out to be a damp squib. A...
Future energy
17 Apr, 2024

Future energy

PRIME MINISTER Shehbaz Sharif’s recent directive to the energy sector to curtail Pakistan’s staggering $27bn oil...
Tough talks
Updated 16 Apr, 2024

Tough talks

The key to unlocking fresh IMF funds lies in convincing the lender that Pakistan is now ready to undertake real reforms.
Caught unawares
Updated 16 Apr, 2024

Caught unawares

The government must prioritise the upgrading of infrastructure to withstand extreme weather.
Going off track
16 Apr, 2024

Going off track

LIKE many other state-owned enterprises in the country, Pakistan Railways is unable to deliver, while haemorrhaging...