Lahore, Mar.14 (ANI):  Pakistani intelligence agencies have claimed nabbing the mastermind of the Lahore serial blasts and one of his close associates in a raid in southern Punjab province, and the extremists have reportedly revealed that the strikes were planned at an Indian consulate in Afghanistan two months ago.

According to sources, Qari Muzammal, the close aide of the mastermind has confessed during interrogation that India had provided financial support and ammunitions to the bomb plotters through its consulates in Kandahar and Jalalabad.

The name of the mastermind, however, has still not been revealed.

Sources further said that the mastermind was nabbed in a remote region of Punjab and several important evidence, including CD’s and extremist literature were recovered in the raid.

“He directed the Lahore RA Bazaar attacks from Faisalabad,” sources privy to the investigations said adding that the attacks on Special Investigation Agency (SIA) building in Model Town and RA Bazaar were interconnected.

Pakistani agencies also claimed that a top Indian official had visited Kabul in December and met Muzammal, who had fled to Afghanistan via Balochistan after the attack on the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.

Pakistani media is also flushed with reports of Indian intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing’s (RAW), hand in the Lahore serial blasts.

The Nation, one of Pakistan’s leading English dailies, quoted some ‘reliable’ sources, as saying that the RAW is maintaining contacts, sources, and links in Pakistan through the Indian consulates in  Kandahar, Jalalabad and Dubai.

“Most of the staff at Indian consulates in Afghanistan has been picked up from intelligence and security organizations including RAW, Intelligence Bureau and Military Intelligence.RAW has been providing reliable information and support to agents of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to destabilise the country, by using disgruntled nationalists, activists of banned outfits,” sources said.

They also claimed that India’s consulate in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is being used to send terrorists to Pakistan.

“Agents are getting hold of young, discontented elements and after carrying out their brainwashing, they are dispatched to Dubai. Indian Consulate in Dubai is issuing temporary passport to these activists for getting training and briefing,” the newspaper quoted sources, as saying. (ANI)