Media Brief regarding Besham (Shangla) Terrorist Attack of 26 March in Case FIR No. 05/2024 dated 26-03-2024 Police Station CTD Malakand, KP.

On  , a convoy of the Chinese nationals, consisting of 12 vehicles including 2 vehicles of security forces, was traveling from Islamabad to Dassu Hydropower Project in Kohistan District, KP. About 6 km after crossing Besham city on main Karakoram Highway when the convoy was overtaking a vehicle, that vehicle exploded at 1:01 pm. One bus of Chinese nationals bore the brunt of the blast and caught fire. It fell in a ravine about 150 feet deep. All five Chinese nationals in that bus and their Pakistani driver were killed on the spot. Local police and rescue teams immediately reached the crime scene. The scene was cordoned off. The forensic team of CTD KP collected relevant evidence from the crime scene immediately after the incident which proved instrumental in detection of the entire terrorist network. Body parts of a human being were found at the crime scene near parts of exploded vehicle which apparently made it evident that the driver of exploding vehicle was a suicide bomber. It was a VBIED (Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device) attack. Body parts of the suicide bomber and parts of VBIED vehicle were sent to the forensic lab for analysis including DNA analysis. Forensic reports have been received.

• A case was registered vide FIR No. 05/2024 dated 26-03-2024 at Police Station CTD Malakand under sections 302, 324, 427 of PPC, sections 3 and 4 of Explosive Substances Act 1908 read with sections 6 and 7 of Anti Terrorism Act 1997.
• A Joint Investigation Team was constituted by the Government of Pakistan headed by the National Coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA). The JIT visited the crime scene and inspected the site. A full-scale investigation was launched. All LEAs (Law Enforcement Agencies) assisted the JIT. With collective efforts of all LEAs and Intelligence Agencies, with CTD KP in the lead role, the case has been fully solved after busting of the terrorist network involved in this heinous attack. 11 accused/terrorists, including the main executors of attack, handlers of the suicide bomber and facilitators of transportation of VBIED have been arrested. Recovery of cell phone, in use of suicide bomber just before the attack, from the crime scene was very important first clue which ultimately led to detection of the case and arrest of the perpetrators.
• The investigation, based on ocular, physical and technical evidence obtained through forensic analyses, has revealed that attack was planned in Afghanistan in collaboration with accused/terrorists in Pakistan. According to electronic evidence and evidence obtained from main accused/terrorist Adil Shehbaz, the terrorists Hazrat Bilal @ Farman and Bakhtiar Shah @ Qari Asadullah (Ulswal of TTP Shanga now living in Spin Boldak, Afghanistan) planned the attack on orders of the leadership of the TTP based in Afghanistan including its Ameer Noor Wali Mehsud. Accused Adil Shehbaz further confirms that all the accused involved in the attack belong to the terrorist organisation TTP (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan). This fact is also confirmed by technical evidence extracted from electronic devices of the accused through forensic analysis of those devices. Hazrat Bilal @ Farman is Ulswal (shadow governor) of TTP Hazara Division who was appointed to this position in January 2024 by the TTP Ameer Noor Wali Mehsud ostensibly to plan and execute the attack. Hazrat Bilal @ Farman is based in Kunar, Afghanistan and keeps visiting Pakistan to commit acts of terrorism. He actively engaged and associated a group of terrorists to complete the task. Investigation has further revealed that accused @ Khan Lala purchased the car in Afghanistan with aid and abetment of Bakhtiar Shah @ Qari Asadullah and turned it into a VBIED by fitting explosives in its doors and body. He managed its transportation from Afghanistan to Pakistan through various people. He used services of accused Imran Swati, a car dealer in Chakdara, to transport the car to Chakdara from Afghan border. Said accused Imran Swati used 4 accused persons namely Sakha Ullah r/o district Chaman, Abdullah r/o Chaman, Abdul Rehman r/o Kuchlak, Quetta and Kamal Khan r/o Abu Zai, district Zhob, Balochistan to transport the car (VBIED). Main accused Adil Shehbaz played a key role in execution of the attack. He, along with another accused Wajid, took the car after paying an amount of 260,000 to Imran Swati and transported/drove the car from Chakdara to Dandai near Besham and got it parked at a petrol pump in Thakot. The accused Adil Shehbaz also played major role in housing the suicide bomber with accused Shafiq Qureshi and Zahid Qureshi in their house near a town called Oghi in district Mansehra. Before residing with them, the suicide bomber was provided shelter by accused Faizullah and Fasih Ullah in district Haripur. Investigation has revealed that the suicide bomber was an Afghan national known to local handlers by the name of Muttaqi @ Taqi. Electronic and physical evidence shows his Afghan nationality. On the day of incident, the suicide bomber took the explosive laden car (VBIED) to crime scene. At 1:01 pm on 26 March 2024, when the convoy of Chinese nationals was overtaking his car, the suicide bomber exploded the VBIED (car) at the crime scene hitting one bus in the convoy. Resultantly, killing five Chinese Nationals and a Pakistani driver on the spot. At the time of the attack, the accused/terrorist Hazrat Bilal @ Farman was taking instructions from @ Khan Lala from Afghanistan through an Afghan cell phone number. Forensic analysis of that Afghan cell phone number shows that @ Khan Lala was in contact with senior leadership of TTP in Afghanistan at the same time. Forensic analysis further reveals that Noor Wali Mehsud and other senior leaders were present in Kunar Afghanistan from 24 to 26 March to oversee the attack and confirm it through multiple sources.
• Eleven (11) accused/terrorists namely Adil Shehbaz, Shafiq Qureshi, Zahid Qureshi, Nazeer Hussain, Faizullah, Fasih Ullah, Imran Swati, Sakha Ullah, Abdullah, Abdul Rehman and Kamal Khan have been arrested. They are in police custody on physical remand. They will face trial in the local Anti-Terrorism Court where challan will be submitted after completing legal formalities. Remaining accused/terrorists belonging to this network, including Hazrat Bilal @ Farman, will be arrested soon. Highest punishment for the terrorists will be sought by the prosecution in consequence of the trial. The trial will be conducted speedily and the terrorists will be brought to justice.
• Mutual legal assistance will be sought from the Interim Afghan Government (IAG) for arrest of the accused/terrorists from Afghanistan namely Bakhtiar Shah @ Qari Asadullah and @ Khan Lala. MLA will also be sought for arrest and handing over to Pakistan of TTP Ameer Noor Wali Mehsud, Commander TTP Malakand Azmat Ullah Mehsud and other senior leaders of the TTP.
• Government of Pakistan is taking strict border control measures with Afghanistan to forestall possibility of such incidents in future. IBOs (Intelligence Based Operations) have been intensified to dismantle terrorist networks of the TTP and other Terrorist Organisations which target foreigners, especially the Chinese Nationals.