A plot to assassinate Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was thwarted after the counter-terrorism department (CTD) killed Lashkar-e-Jhangvi’s (LeJ) new leader Asif Chotoo in an encounter, it has been learnt.
CTD officials revealed that the LeJ leader was hatching a plot to target Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The officials added that columnist Ataul Haq Qasmi was also a target of the terrorists, who were demanding extortion from influential figures.
Four militants, including Chotoo, were killed in a shootout in Sheikhupura by the CTD acting on a tip that the group was planning an attack in Lahore.
“A big chapter of terrorism and target killings has been closed today,” the statement added. “These terrorists were merciless killers,” the statement issued by CTD said
LeJ leader Rizwan, alias Asif Chotu was nominated in over 100 murder cases and had a head money of Rs 3,000,000. Two of the others were identified as Dr Shakirullah alias Ali Sufyan, and Noor-ul-Amin, while one dead terrorist is yet to be identified.
According to the CTD, the terrorists had been preparing to launch an attack on staff and offices of an intelligence agency in Lahore. Seven of them they were travelling on four motorcycles from Farooqabad towards Sheikhupura, and onwards to Lahore for this purpose.
On receiving this information, the CTD team blockaded the Sheikhupura Railway Phatak at about 10:30 pm on Wednesday. The team told the terrorists to surrender, but they turned towards Cattle Market on the bypass where they assumed positions and started firing indiscriminately on the police party chasing them. The police responded and killed four of the terrorists, while three terrorists succeeded in fleeing from the scene.
Two Kalashnikov rifles, two pistols, 3kgs of explosives, prima cord, live bullets, and other equipment were recovered from the terrorists. Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched for the arrest of the other three terrorists, a CTD spokesperson said.
Profile of dead terrorists
Rizwan alias Asif Chotu belonged to Muzaffargarh district. He was heading the LeJ and was directly involved in killing more than 100 citizens of Pakistan in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Balochistan. Indirectly, he was involved in killing more than 200 citizens. He was in prison from 2005 to 2012. In 2012 he was released on bail after which he became a Proclaimed Offender and killed dozens more.
Dr Shakir alias Ali Sufyan belonged to KP. He was Ameer of LeJ in KP and had killed more than 50 people in KP and Punjab.
Noor-ul-Amin belonged to KP. He had killed more than 20 people including Police Inspector Raja Saqlain of Rawalpindi. There was a head money of Rs 1,000,000 on his head.