The Inspector General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Moazam Jah Ansari has debunked the claims that the Peshawar suicide blast was an inside job. He has clarified that the militant who blew himself up inside the Peshawar mosque was in a police uniform.
Pertinent to mention that the clarification comes after police personnel staged protest rallies in various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – which was a first – on Wednesday to condemn Monday’s bombing at the Peshawar Police Lines that left many dead.
The demonstrators at the protest claimed the attack to be an ‘inside job’ and chanted slogans indicating that they ‘knew’ who was behind the attack.
Reacting to the protest, KP IG Moazam Jah Ansari, in a heart-wrenching press conference, brushed aside the conspiracy theories linked to the deadly Peshawar blast.
Read more: World unites to condemn terror attack at Peshawar mosque
“We were busy in funeral preparations and the conspiracies were attempted to provoke our people to launch a protest. If they take the law into their own hands then who would be the law enforcer in the streets?” KP IG said.
Admitting there was a serious security lapse that led to the Peshawar mosque blast, KP IG said that they could not distinguish the terrorist as he wore the police uniform, rode a motorcycle, and wore a face mask.
“The attacker, who was in a police uniform, had asked about the location of a mosque from the constable on the Police Lines gate,” he said, adding that police have identified the attacker with the help of CCTV footage.
He also trashed the speculations that the mosque was targeted by a drone. He said if there had been a drone attack, the pillars inside the mosque would not have been damaged.
میں بھی تکلیف میں ہوں میری فورس بھی تکلیف میں ہے: آئی جی کے پی pic.twitter.com/2JY17sfaqy
— Dunya News (@DunyaNews) February 2, 2023
“I blame myself for the security lapse. My jawans are all my children. They did not stop the bomber as they considered it him one of their own as the bomber was in a police uniform,” KP IG said while expressing his grief over the attack caused due to the security lapse.
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“We want to deliver to our families and our children. Do not make the bodies of our loved ones a subject of politics. Kindly end the speculations and let us do our work,” IG Ansari also said. He added that he will share all details once the investigation is complete.
What a inspiring talk by the IG KP Sir Moazam Ansari.
He has raised my respect level for Police Senior leadership to really very high point.
Police is our Pride ✊
They are the front line warriors against the terrorists & Criminals.
May Allah bless Shaheeds with Peace. pic.twitter.com/matAgDa4WF— Raja Shaheryar Khan (@_rsk910) February 2, 2023