MULTAN, Aug 19: Police claimed on Thursday to have arrested an alleged activist of a banned sectarian outfit, who was wanted for his involvement in several cases.

Suspect Muhammad Shafiq alias Hasnain Ali (also known as Asif), who belonged to the Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, was wanted in several cases of terrorism, including the two murder cases registered with the Civil Lines and Samasatta police stations of the Bahawalpur district.

The Multan police claimed that the suspect was carrying a hand grenade at the time of his arrest from an undisclosed location. "He was carrying a grenade to attempt a suicide attack," a police press note added.

In February 2002, a case (118/02) under sections 302/34 PPC and 7-ATA was registered against Shafiq by Civil Lines police station in Bahawalpur for killing Muntazir Mehdi and Arif Husain of the rival sect.

Another case (106/02) was registered against him under sections 302 and 324 PPC and 7-ATA with the Samasatta police station for killing Ijaz Husain of the rival sect on May 9, 2002.

Multan District police officer Hamid Mukhtar Gondal has announced cash award for the police team, headed by DSP Ijaz Shafi Dogar, for arresting the terrorist. A case under the Explosives Act has also been registered against him.

When contacted to know as what could be the possible target of the alleged terrorist's suicide attack, DSP Dogar said the suspect was carrying the bomb to kill himself when he would feel that the law-enforcement agencies were to apprehend him.