The police launched an action against active members of various religious parties, including Tehreek-e-Labbaik after the attack
Lahore (Pakistan Point News – 8th May, 2018) The police have become active after the attack on Federal Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal.
According to media reports, the police arrested over eight members and leaders of a religious party as it conducted raids in Shakargarh. The arrested persons have been kept in separate police stations. The police have launched an action against the active members of various religious parties, including Tehreek-e-Labbaik.
The arrested persons include Profeesor Saeed Ahmad, Arshad and others. Police said that they have started searching other active members of the religious parties as well. The accused involved in the attack on the interior minister will be arrested.
Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal was injured when an accused shot at him while he was at a corner meeting in Narowal on Sunday. According to senior police officials, the accused, aged between 20 to 22 years, opened firing on the interior minister. The attacker, Abid Hussain, shot at the interior minister from a distance of 15 yards as he was leaving a corner meeting. Iqbal received a bullet on his right arm and was moved to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Lahore's Services Hospital following two surgeries early Monday morning. Services Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Ameer claimed the bullet had not been removed from the body, however, Dr Professor Mehmood Ayaz, who conducted one of the surgeries, had earlier said the bullet was removed from the interior minister's body.
Policemen and personnel of security agencies arrested the accused Abid Hussain. Security agencies shifted the accused to undisclosed place, said the senior police officials.
Abid Hussain is affiliated with Tehreek-e-Labbaik, confirmed a government official from Narowal on Monday. The preliminary report sent to the chief secretary of the provincial government by Narowal deputy commissioner says that the man "showed his affiliation to Tehreek-e-Labbaik", a religio-political party led by Khadam Hussain Rizvi, who staged the violent protests against the government following amendment to Khatam-e-Nabuwwat Declaration in Election Act, 2017. The agitation led to the ouster of then law minister Zahid Hamid, while it came to an end after the government and the TLP reached an agreement brokered by the army.
According to local media, the accused in his statement also revealed the reason behind the attack. The assailant said that he attacked the minister as he was angry over the statements given by the minister regarding amendments to the Khatam-e-Nabuwwat declaration.
