Barely three hours after she was pronounced dead, a young man called ATV’s Lahore Centre and asked for the News Desk. Caller Ali Murad had no hesitation in giving his mobile number 0346-4106537 as he asked Reporter Nasir Naqvi for a return call soon after breaking the news.
Fairly thrilled he claimed the assassination by his pistol shots and frankly admitted the panic explosion by his comrade Ahmed Hassan. ATV brought Naqvi on air soon after the call and he explained the information with a tinge of surprise. Ali Murad had absolutely no regrets about the act or consequence and claimed that all other politicians would meet the same fate.
His contempt for all the politicians, both liberals and conservatives, credibly links him to Lal Masjid because the boys had a grievance against all the parties that failed to intervene and save them from the besieging commandos in July. Reporter Nasir Naqvi identifies him as a young man with “urban Punjabi” accent which he could not identify or place regionally. He did not give the (ethnic) identity of his suicidal companion except the name. No journalist would be stupid enough to seek any further identity.
On Friday afternoon, when Pulse picked contact with Naqvi he reported to have received a second call that very afternoon wherein Murad claimed to be on a mission or going for a target. He explained that technology for the indigenous explosive device was acquired through various web sites on the internet. Everything worked perfect except the timing of the detonation.
One wonder if Ali Murad was a genuine name but Ahmed Hassan ought to be a real name which must be traced in the list of Lal Masjid evacuees. After his “martyrdom” his colleague has no reason to conceal his actual name.  
Almost 20 hours after he loudly claimed the assassination, he was still free than monitored. Ahmed Hassan had no funeral and the Interior Ministry made no claims as to the identity of the suicide attacker although some relatives of the person were reportedly picked up from native Charsadda. How did Ali Murad and Ahmed Hassan made a terrorist tag-team is a good question for investigators and the Lal Masjid could be the most likely meeting point of minds.
Benazir Bhutto’s strong condemnation of the Lal Masjid Militants made her top the list of politicians the boys hold responsible. Later on she did disapprove of the bloodshed and criticized the Military but that could not wash the misimpression she gave in the moment of pain.
Identity aside, the question is where does Pakistan prefer to track the suicide attacker and his accomplice at large? Ali Murad could not afford Ist April fun on December 27. But looking at the jolt he gave the country that evening, his call or claim is fairly understandable.
Every murder has a specific cause and it is still to be seen as to how do we determine the real cause?