Pathankot attack mastermind Shahid Latif’s close associate succumbs to bullet injuries

Lahore, October 12

One of the close associates of Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group’s slain leader Shahid Latif, who suffered bullet injuries during an attack in a mosque in Pakistan’s Punjab province, succumbed to his wounds on Thursday, raising the death toll to three in the incident, police said.

Latif, the mastermind of the 2016 attack on the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, and his security guard Hashim Ali were shot dead by three gunmen while offering prayer in a mosque in Daska city of Punjab province, over 100 km from Lahore, on Wednesday early morning.

Prayer leader and close associate of Latif, Maulana Ahad was also hit by bullets and was shifted to a hospital where he succumbed to his wounds on Thursday, police said.

Punjab Police have registered an FIR against six unknown suspects for killing three persons under sections 302 (murder), 324 (attempted murder), 148 (armed with deadly weapons), 149 (unlawful assembly) and Anti-Terrorism Act.

According to the FIR, a copy of which is available with PTI, six gunmen aged 22 to 23 reached the Noori-e-Madina Masjid in Mandike Guraya Chowk (Daska) at Fajr (pre-dawn) time.

“Three of them stayed outside while the other three entered the mosque and opened fire on Latif at point blank at 5.28 am. They also sprayed his security guard and the prayer leader with bullets. They, however, didn’t target other people offering prayer,” the FIR says.

The assailants after committing the crime managed to flee on motorcycles, it says.

Police officer Wasim Ahmad told PTI on Thursday that it was a “target killing” as the main target of the killers was Latif whom they shot at point blank.

“Three separate investigation teams have been formed on the direction of the Punjab police chief to probe into the matter,” he said, adding that police have recorded the statements of the people present in the mosque during the gun attack.

“We have also obtained CCTV footage that will be helpful in tracing the culprits,” he said. No arrest has been made so far.

His killing is similar to several other such incidents involving the deaths of militants wanted in India.

According to intelligence sources, before Latif’s killing, JeM’s Ibrahim Mistry, Hizbul Mujahideen’s Imtiaz Alam, and Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Abu Qasim had been killed during prayers.

Latif alias Bilal alias Noor Al Din, a designated terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, was the launching commander of the JeM in Sialkot and had been involved in the planning, facilitation and execution of terror attacks in India.