LAHORE: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab police apprehended six suspected activists of the banned sectarian outfit Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LeJ) from Lahore on Thursday.

The CTD spokesman claimed that the arrested activists were running the affairs of proscribed LeJ after the death of Malik Ishaq.

The police also claimed to have recovered a huge amount of explosives and electronic detonators from the arrested accused.

Three suspects were arrested from Khokhar Chowk area near College Road, while the other three were nabbed from Baidian Road, the CTD spokesman said.

The arrested accused are namely Umer sajid Jhangvi, Hidayatullah Farooqi, Muhammad Sadiq, Inamul Haque, Ataullah Usmani and Muhammad Yaseen.

Moreover, two separate First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered in CTD police station against the six suspects over possession of explosives.

In July this year, former LeJ chief Malik Ishaq along with his two sons Usman and Haq Nawaz was killed in an alleged exchange of fire with police personnel

A spokesman for CTD Multan at the time had said Ishaq and his two sons were taken to Muzaffargarh to aid in the recovery of arms and explosives.

As the police party was returning after making the recovery, it was attacked by some 12 to 15 gunmen following which an encounter ensued.

Ishaq and his sons were arrested by the CTD only a week before the alleged encounter took place.

Related: Lashkar-e-Jhangvi chief Malik Ishaq, two sons killed in Muzaffargarh 'encounter'

The LeJ is also said to have links with Al Qaeda. The organisation was banned more than a decade ago by former president Pervez Musharraf.

Ishaq, who was the leader of the feared organisation, was implicated in dozens of cases, mostly murder.