February 15, 2006	Wednesday	Muharram 16, 1427

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QUETTA, Feb 14: Police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested a mastermind of sectarian killings, suicide attacks on an imambargah and Ashura processions in Quetta and other parts of the province.

Dr Munir Ahmed was arrested by a special police team from Quetta on Monday night, sources said.

“Dr Munir is mastermind of all incidents of sectarian killings in Quetta,” Chaudhary Mohammad Yaqoob, Inspector General of Balochistan Police told Dawn on Tuesday. The government had posted a Rs1 million reward for his arrest.

The accused had planned the attacks in collaboration with Dawood Badani and Usman Saifullah in his clinic in Mastung, he said, adding that Dawood Badani had been arrested last year in Karachi.

Sources said that after the arrest of several active members of the gang in Mastung, Dr Munir had disappeared and crossed the border. Police declared him an absconder and announced the Rs1 million reward for his arrest.

On receipt of information that the accused was in a house in Sariab area, a special police party raided the place and arrested him.

“The accused has been handed over to a special team of police officers for interrogation,” the IGP said.

Police had taken a number of suspects into custody before the 10th of Muharram to ensure peaceful Ashura observance in Quetta and other cities and towns of Balochistan.