Jamal’s murder: Top Logar police officers reshuffled

KABUL): The Ministry of Interior (MoI) on Monday said it had ordered the replacement of two most senior police officials of central Logar province in order to properly investigate the assassination of Governor Arsala Jamal.

Jamal, a close confidante of President Karzai, was assassinated on the first day of Eidul Adha when a bomb hidden in a microphone went off at the main mosque in Pul-i-Alam, the provincial capital.

The blast occurred as Jamal made a speech to congratulate people on the religious festival after offering Eid prayers.

There were no other fatalities, but at least 18 people sustained injuries in the explosion.

A day after the governor’s assassination, the spy service claimed the explosives had been hidden in a copy of the holy Quran.

The National Directorate of Security (NDS) said initial investigation showed the terrorists had used a copy of the holy book to carry out the blast.

To properly investigate the incident, the Ministry of Interior said on Monday Brig. Gen. Abdul Hakim Ishaqzai had been appointed as Logar police chief and Col. Abdul Wali Tofan as his deputy.

Without going into details, the ministry statement said the reshuffle would pave the ground for a fair investigation into Jamal’s assassination.  

Some reports claimed Logar intelligence department head had been sacked.

As part of reforms in the police department of eastern Nuristan province, the interior ministry said Brig. Gen. Abdul Baqi Nuristani had been posted as acting Nuristan police chief and Col. Sherzad as deputy police chief.

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