Islamabad: A former official of Pakistan's
foreign office with links to the Shia group Tehrik-e-Islami
has been detained by security agencies for his alleged
connections with militants who carried out a suicide attack on
a mosque in Rawalpindi frequented by military personnel.
Raja Ehsan Aziz was picked up after two women members
of the group were detained by security agencies, The News
daily reported today.
Sarwat Wahid, another member of the group whose son's
car was allegedly used by militants who targeted the mosque on
December 4, and her son are reportedly missing, it said.
Aziz, a graduate of Columbia University who served in
senior positions in the Foreign Office, is a retired professor
of the Quaid-e-Azam University. His son is an army officer.
He was picked up from his home in Islamabad yesterday
by sleuths of a counter-terrorism unit, his wife Amira Aziz
said.
Phool Zeb, Aziz's driver, too was arrested as
investigators found a mobile phone SIM allegedly used by
terrorists who attacked the mosque in Rawalpindi and Moon
Market in Lahore.
Over 100 people, including a serving Major General of
the Army, were killed in these two attacks.
This is the second time Aziz has been detained by
security agencies though his wife denied he had links with
any terror groups.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, December 17, 2009, 14:42