October 18, 2003	Saturday	Sha'aban 21, 1424

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KARACHI, Oct 17: The police have detained a key member of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, identified as Asif alias Chhotu, in connection with the Suparco killing case, law enforcement officials said on Friday.

Without specifying the exact number of the detained people, they said that some persons were picked up involved in killing six employees of the space research institution on the Hub River Road on Oct 3.

Sources said that the law enforcement agencies had raided several places after extensively grilling the detained persons.

They said an extremist, affiliated with the banned group, was picked up a couple of days ago, who was identified as Shahnawaz alias Shani. He was thoroughly grilled and later he led the law enforcement agencies to arrest the key militant of the banned group Asif alias Chhotu.

They said that Asif was believed to be the successor of the arrested accused Akram Lahori, presently facing trials in a number of murder cases.

The law enforcement agencies termed his arrest a major breakthrough not only in the Suparco killing case but it would help solve the case of firing at an imambargah in Al Falah Society on Feb 22, in which nine people were killed, besides the killing of Dr Ibne Hasan in Malir on Aug 16.