RAWALPINDI. July 28: The Punjab government has declared Matiur Rehman alias Samad Sial, Tariq Ustad Talah, Abu Haris, Hussain, Qari Mushtaq Anees, Mansoor alias Choota Ibrahim Hassan, Qari Ehsanul Haq, Rana Mohammad Afzal alias Fazalullah, Ikramullah and Noor Khan as the most wanted terrorists.

In its recently-published Red Book (available with Dawn), the provincial counter-terrorism department (CTD) listed 110 most wanted terrorists.

The 10 terrorists on top of the list were allegedly involved in suicide attacks on former President Pervez Musharraf, former prime ministers Shaukat Aziz and Benazir Bhutto and sectarian violence.

These suspected terrorists belonged to outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TPP)’s Baitullah Mehsood, Ameer Lashkar Khurasan, Amjad Farooqi groups and Lashkar-i-Jhangvi.

An award of Rs10 million each has been announced by the provincial government for anyone providing information that can lead to the arrest of the militants belonging to the Amjad Farooqi group.

For those linked to the Masood Azhar, Lashkar-i-Jhangvi and Ameer Lashkar Khurasan groups, the reward has been fixed at Rs5 million each. However, the head money for Ikramullah associated with Baitullah Mehsood group and involved in the suicide attack that killed Ms Bhutto in Rawalpindi is Rs2 million.

Matiur Rehman alias Samad Siyal was involved in the attacks on former president Pervez Musharraf, former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and suicide bombing on Sheraton Hotel Karachi. A head money of Rs10 million had been announced for his arrest.

Rana Mohammad Afzal, who belonged to the Masood Azhar group of the TPP, had closed relations with Al Qaeda’s Arab commanders. He had been carrying out terrorist activities along with Al Qaeda and Taliban militants, according to the Red Book.

Mohammad Haroon Akbar Khan alias Ilyas Moavia, involved in the PTS/PAF bus Sargodha attack, had links with Taliban and Al Qaeda.

Qari Abdullah, who is associated with TTP’s Ameer Lashkar-i-Khurasan group, was the mastermind of a suicide bombing at the ISI office in Qasim Baila, Multan.

Mansoor alias Choota Ibrahim Hasan and Qari Ehsanul Haq alias Shahid were also involved in the suicide attack on former president Pervez Musharraf on December 25, 2003, in Rawalpindi.

A senior police officer, who has been investigating terrorism-related incidents, on the condition of anonymity told Dawn that majority of the most wanted individuals listed in the Red Book belonged to Sipah-i-Sahaba, Sipah-i-Mohammad and the TPP.

He said TTP had formed its seven groups such as Amjad Farooqi group, Qari Obaidullah group, Tariq Karwan group, Masood Azhar group, International Movement of Uzbekistan and Masood Azhar group. These groups were also involved in extortion.

The ‘Red Book’ contains the names of 110 suspected terrorists involved in suicide bombings and sectarian violence.

The book stated that the wave of terrorism and sectarian violence continuing for the last many years had severely damaged Pakistan’s image in the world. Hundreds of people, including senior officers of law enforcement agencies, have been martyred in the terror activities.

The CTD believed that joint efforts with other law enforcement agencies were needed to check the activities of terrorists and bring them to justice.

When additional inspector general of CTD Punjab, Nasir Khan Durrani, was contacted and asked whether all the individuals listed in the Red Book were the most wanted by the police, he replied: “Yes, all individuals listed in the book are on the most wanted list and the government of Punjab has announced a head money on them.”

He said the individuals listed in the book belonged to different organisations and were involved in suicide bombings and sectarian violence in the Punjab. “They have already been declared proclaimed offenders,” said AIG Durrani.

The fresh edition of the Red Book has three parts. The first part contains the names of 22 individuals who were involved in suicide bombings, the second mentions the names of 38 suspects involved in sectarian violence.

In the third part, 19 other suspected terrorists have been listed along with the head money. Eight proclaimed offenders involved in other terrorist activities have been listed in the last part of the book.