Islamabad: Pakistani police today claimed
the mastermind behind the recent attempt to assassinate
Religious Affairs Minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi had been arrested
along with several accomplices in Punjab province.
Police officials were quoted by state-run PTV as
saying that the mastermind and his accomplices were arrested
at Rojhan and Dera Ghazi Khan in southern Punjab. They are
members of a banned organisation and were involved in other
criminal cases, officials said.
The officials did not disclose the name of the
mastermind or the other arrested persons. Officials also did
not give the exact number of persons arrested. Raids were
being conducted to make more arrests, they said.
Police in Islamabad had earlier arrested six suspects
in connection with the attempt on the life of Kazmi. The
federal minister was injured and his guard and driver were
killed when gunmen attacked his car outside his office in
Islamabad on September 2.
Kazmi, who belongs to the ruling Pakistan People's
Party, is a vocal critic of the Taliban and suicide bombings.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, September 14, 2009, 19:38