ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday accused India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) of orchestrating last month's car bombing near the Lahore residence of 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed that killed three people and left 24 injured. National security adviser (NSA) Dr Moeed Yousaf claimed that "the whole drama about some mysterious drones flying in Jammu and Kashmir" was a "deflection tactic" in the face of Pakistan gathering proof of the alleged Indian hand in the bombing.
"We have concrete evidence and intelligence, including financial and telephone records, of this particular incident in Lahore, which point towards direct Indian sponsorship of these terrorists," Yousaf said at a joint presser with information minister Fawad Chaudhry and Punjab police chief Inam Ghani.
Soon after the briefing, PM Imran Khan appreciated law-enforcement agencies for "unearthing evidence" of the bombing and urged the world community to take note of India's "rogue behaviour".
"I appreciate the diligence and speed of Punjab police’s counter terrorism department...and commend the excellent coordination of all our civil and military intelligence agencies," he tweeted.
On June 23, an explosives-laden vehicle blew up near the house of the banned Jamaatud Dawa chief in Lahore’s Johar Town neighbourhood. Yousaf said Pakistan had identified the "main mastermind" and the handlers through "forensic analysis and electronic equipment recovered from these terrorists".
"We have absolutely no doubt or reservation in informing you that the main mastermind of the attack is an Indian citizen, and he is associated with RAW."
On whether that was enough to presume India's direct involvement in the attack, the NSA said there were thousands of coordinated cyber attacks on Pakistan’s information infrastructure that very day. "We have evidence...The cyber attacks were an attempt to foil our investigation and buy time for the terror network to disperse," he said.
"We have no doubt that the Johar Town blast and the cyber attacks are linked. And the scale at which the cyber attacks were mounted, there is no doubt that there was state involvement of our neighbour."
Yousaf alleged that India had been using "territory and people in third countries" to carry out terrorist attacks in Pakistan. "Money was sent through third countries," he said without naming any place.
Prior to Yousaf’s briefing, Punjab police chief Ghani gave an account of the events leading up to the blast. "We have identified the person who was delegated the task to carry out the reconnaissance and execute the attack," Ghani said, identifying the suspect as Eid Gul.
"He took the car from Peter Paul David and did a dry run in Lahore," he said, referring to another suspect. A day after the blast, law-enforcement agencies arrested Peter after off-loading him from a Karachi-bound flight. He was said to be the owner of the car used in the blast.
According to details shared by Ghani, a third suspect named Ziaullah provided financing for the car to Peter, who handed over the vehicle to Gul. An unidentified person chose Gul to carry out the attack, the police chief said.
Gul is said to have roots in Afghanistan.
