In Pakistan, it now appears, suicide bombers are not only available to settle political and religious differences – they’re available for hire to resolve business disputes.
A “Suicides-R-Us” plan is being held responsible for more than two dozen deaths in that country, according to police who say they have arrested five people – so far – in the case.
According to a report from the Indo-Asian News Service, the Crimes Investigation Department in Lahore said the suspects were arrested for a suicide attack on Aug. 6 at the residence of Rashid Akbar Niwani. A total of 26 people were killed and others were injured in the attack.
Police reported that Niwani, a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz member of the National Assembly, was not the target of the attack but only acting as broker between two friends who had an argument over money invested in an automobile business.
According to the IANS report, the principal suspect is Waqas Hussain and his accomplices are Nazar Hussain, Arif Khan, Muhammad Amjad and Saeed Amjad Abbas.
The report said the suspects hired a suicide bomber from Wana in South Waristan to kill a man identified as Ejaz Hussain, Waqas Hussain’s creditor.
The report said Waqas and Ejaz were one-time friends who pooled money for a car business run by Waqas Hussain.
However, the business flopped, and Ejaz was demanding repayment, police told the news agency.
Each had filed claims against the other.
Finally, Ejaz Hussain engaged Niwani in the dispute, but the situation wasn’t satisfactory to Waqas Hussain, the report said.
“Waqas and his father Nazar Hussain went to their relative Arif Khan in Dera Ismail Khan (in the adjacent North West Frontier Province) and informed him about the situation. They decided wipe out the debt by wiping out Ejaz in a suicide attack and Arif asked them to arrange money for the purpose,” the report said.
They are accused of meeting with Wana resident Jaan Muhammad Wazeer and agreeing to pay him for the killing. Eventually Wazeer turned over a suicide bomber to Arif Khan, who handed him over to Waqas Hussain. Details of how much the suicide bomber was paid, or his identity, were not provided.
The explosion killed Ejaz Hussain, Niwani and two dozen others.
