KARACHI, Dec 15: Two suspected militants of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi were arrested and a huge quantity of explosives and arms was seized in separate police actions on Wednesday in different parts of the city, officials said.

The Special Investigation Unit of the Karachi police claimed to have arrested a suspected militant of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, who, the police said, was planning to target Muharram processions.

A senior official said that the suspect, identified as Imamuddin alias Mawia, was originally a Bengali who slipped into Pakistan via India in 1991.

He developed connections with some militant outfits while staying in Pakistan and had visited neighbouring countries, including Afghanistan and Iran, he added.

“He was arrested after a brief encounter in the Ayub Goth area,” said SIU SP Raja Umer Khattab. “He is one of the key members of the Lashkar-i-Jhangvi in Karachi and recently came out of prison. He wanted to attack processions taken out on the 7th and 8th Muharram.”

The police also claimed to have recovered explosives, two vests used for carrying out suicide attacks, a TT pistol, an AK-47 assault rifle, four shotguns, two hand grenades and hundreds of rounds from the suspect.

The official said that the suspect came into the contact of his accomplices soon after his release from prison and was planning to launch terror attacks.

However, he said that the accomplices of the suspect were still at large. In Orangi Town, police claimed that another suspected militant of the Lashkar-i-Jhangvi was arrested and 200 kilograms of explosives were seized on his disclosure from a hideout in Pak Colony.

“We spotted the suspect, who was later identified as Khalil Baloch, during a snap check near Baba Vilayat Ai Shah Colony in Sector 11,” said SP Khurram Waris of the Orangi Town while addressing a press conference.

The SP said: “During checking, a TT pistol and a 7mm rifle were recovered from his possession while the motorbike he was riding (KBC-1655) was also not clear when checked through the CPLC record.”

He said the suspect was interrogated that led to the recovery of 200 kilos of explosives sealed in 20 plastic drums in a hideout in the Pak Colony area.

“Two of his aides Dr Abdullah alias Qari and Abdul Sattar are at large. They all are associated with the Lashkar-i-Jhangvi. Though they didn’t have a specific plan for attacks on Muharram-related events, they were planning to execute tasks in different parts of the city,” SP Waris said.