KARACHI, Dec 14: The Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the Sindh police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested a suspected militant after a brief encounter at Sohrab Goth.

The suspect said to be associated with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan with his five accomplices was reportedly planning to target the Ashura procession.

While a senior CID official described the arrest as a major breakthrough in the ongoing efforts of their intelligence apparatus to ensure security during Muhrarram, the five TTP suspects are still at large.

“The militant arrested has been identified as Haji Rahman alias Qasai,” said Fayyaz Khan, SSP for operations of the CID, while addressing a press conference.

He said the CID team also seized 10 kilograms of explosives, an AK-47 assault rifle, 500 rounds and three detonators from the suspect's custody.

The SSP said: “He was arrested after a brief encounter in the Sohrab Goth area. We rate the arrest as a major breakthrough, following the enhanced security measures and intelligence networking to protect Muharram-related events.

“The suspect originally hails from Orakzai Agency and had settled in Quaidabad some two months ago with his five other aides,” said SSP Khan. “They were planning to execute attacks on the Ashura procession that we have managed to prevent. However, his five aides are still at large and all-out efforts are being made for their arrest.”

He said the suspect and his aides were associated with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan in Orakzai Agency from where their chief, Hafiz Saeed, directly supervised TTP activities and operations in Karachi.