8 killed in Mandi Bahauddin mosque attack

MANDI BAHAUDDIN—Eight persons were killed and 14 injured when some motorcyclists opened fire at an worship place during Fajr prayers at mauza Moong near here Friday.
According to SHO Saddar Mandi police, Muhammad Arif, three motorcyclists entered the worship place at 5.00 am, when people were offering prayers, and opened indiscriminate fire.
Two persons died on the spot, while about 20 others received injuries and were rushed to the local hospital where six succumbed to injuries.
Those killed in the incident have been identified as Yasir Ahmad, Navid Ahmad, Abid Mahmood, Raja Abdul Majid, Altaf Ahmad, Muhammad Aslam, Ashraf and Laraib.
The injured include Muhammad Ayub, Adnan, Tuseef Ahmad, Sajid, Mukhtar Ali, Bilal Ahmad, Fakhar, Amir, Irfan, AbuHuraira, Umar Farooq, Sajid, Basharat, Syed Mahmood and Waheed.
Police teams have been constitued to track down the culprits.
Meawhile Provincial Law Minister Punjab Muhammad Basharat Raja told PTV that the perpetratirs of Mong firing incident would not go scot free as some vital clues have been found. The law enforcement agencies have widened their investigation base in light of preliminary information. Some suspects have already been caught. While remaining real culprits would soon be arrested, he said. President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Friday condemned the heinous act of terrorism in Mandi Bahauddin where eight people have lost their lives. They directed the concerned authorities to promptly investigate the matter and bring the culprits to justice so that they should be awarded exemplary punishment. They offered their condolences to the bereaved families.—APP