Police officer identified as key facilitator in Peshawar mosque bombing

PESHAWAR: Authorities have identified the primary facilitator of the Peshawar Police Lines bombing as a police officer. Constable Wali, who has made two trips to Afghanistan, played a crucial role in supplying critical information to the suicide bomber for the attack.

According to reports, Constable Wali hails from the tribal district of Mohmand and has served in the Peshawar Police for the past seven years. Security officials revealed that he has been ideologically supportive of terrorism for several years. Investigators have also gathered information about his trips to Afghanistan, as reported by the Express Tribune.

The report further stated that Constable Wali assisted the suicide bomber by granting him access to the target, allowing him to enter in uniform, and advising him on the necessary procedures. Wali's family has been interrogated, and authorities have arrested two individuals from his home.

Security sources indicated that Wali had previously served at various locations, including the Peshawar Police Lines. His involvement was uncovered following the recent arrest of the mastermind behind the attack. Investigators apprehended Wali after questioning the mastermind, as noted by the Express Tribune.

According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police, security officials, and sources in the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), the wanted terrorist and facilitator involved in the police lines mosque suicide bombing has been arrested in a joint operation.

The Peshawar mosque bombing occurred on January 30, 2023, during Friday prayers at a mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan. The suicide bomber detonated himself in the mosque - a heavily guarded police facility - around 1 pm during Zohr prayers, causing the roof to collapse on those inside.

The attack resulted in significant casualties, with over 100 people killed and many others injured. It was one of the deadliest attacks in recent years, raising serious concerns about security and the ongoing violence from militant groups in the region.