SAHIWAL: Two captured terrorists, including the mastermind of 2021 Dasu bombing that claimed the lives of nine Chinese nationals and four Pakistanis, were killed in an ambush on Sahiwal-Faisalabad Road, on Friday morning.

The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab Police claimed that due to security concerns, five terrorists — Muham­mad Hussain alias Syed Mohammad, who masterminded the Dasu blast; his associate Muhammad Ayaz alias Janbaz; and three others Saleem Khan alias Toor, Abu Bakar, and Latifullah Masood — were being shifted from Sahiwal prison to Mianwali jail in two separate prison vans when the convoy came under attack.

Hussain, along with his four accomplices, was sentenced to death by military courts for his role in the bomb attack on a bus transporting Chinese and Pakistani workers to the construction site of Dasu hydropower project on July 14, 2021.

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CTD officials said the shooters first burst the tyres in an attempt to free their accomplices from the prison vans in an area that falls within the jurisdiction of Bahadur Shah police station of Sahiwal district.

When the police responded, around 12 shooters opened fire on the vans, officials said.

While police managed to foil the attack, Hussain and Ayaz were killed by the gunfire of their accomplices, the CTD claimed, adding that five bullets hit an elite force van during the shooting. However, none of the officials was hurt in the attack.

The three other terrorists were then safely shifted to the designated place.

Following the encounter, the Bahadur Shah police registered a case under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 and sections 302, 324, 148, 225, 224, 427, 395, 186, 353, and 149 of Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of ASI Zahid Gahfoor.

The timing of the deadly attack and ensuing encounter is significant, as the Shanghai Co­­operation Organisation (SCO) summit is set to begin in Islamabad under heightened security, with three public holidays declared in the capital.

A high-power delegation from China is spearheading SCO.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2024