The Sindh police’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Friday claimed to have arrested the father and brother of Mastung bomber and on their pointation two more suspects, stated to be aides of the bomber, were also apprehended.

Separately, the CTD also arrested three suspects including two alleged ‘hit-men’ reportedly belonging to Lyari gang-war and Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s London faction.

Talking to media persons, CTD SSP retired Captain Parvez Ahmed Chandio said police acted on a tip-off and arrested Muhammad Nawaz and Haq Nawaz from Banaras area, who, according to police, were planning to flee to Afghanistan.

After the deadly suicide bombing at an election rally in Mastung, Balochistan, on July 13 in which over 150 people including election candidate Siraj Raisani were killed, both the suspects went in hiding.

Muhammad Nawaz is the father of bomber Hafeez Nawaz, while Haq Nawaz is his brother.

During the initial probe, Muhammad Nawaz told police that his three sons including the bomber, his wife and four daughters had moved to Afghanistan on May 29.

He told the police that initially his ‘bomber’ son was associated with TTP’s Fazlullah group, but later on he joined ‘Daud Mehsud group.’

On pointation of the arrested father and son of the bomber, the police conducted raids in Manghopir area and Old Subzi Mandi and arrested two suspects, Sheeraz alias Saifullah and Wali Ahmed alias Abu Ubaid.

“They are accomplices of the suicide bomber,” claimed the CTD official.

They belonged to Jaishul Adl outfit based in Afghanistan.

“They got training from Panjgur in Balochistan and Afghanistan on different occasions,” believed Chandio. The held suspects also studied at the same seminary where the suicide bomber studied.

Besides, CTD SSP Naveed Ahmed Khowaja said that another team of the CTD arrested Syed Muhammad Zohaib alias Zohaib Pathan who was associated with Shahid Bikak group linked with Lyari gang-war elements.

During the initial probe, the held suspects ‘confessed’ to killing 19 people in the metropolis. Sindh government has announced Rs2 million head money on his arrest.

Moreover, the CTD arrested another suspect Shakir alias Bunti who was associated with MQM’s London faction.

He had killed assistant sub-inspector Gohar Abbas in 2012.

Separately, the police arrested two suspects, Abdul Waheed and Muhammad Amin who were involved in looting people who drew cash from ATMs in the city, said Khowaja.