GILGIT, April 14: Police claimed on Saturday to have traced the man who had thrown a hand-grenade on protesting activists of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamat at Etehad Chowk on April 3.

“We have traced the culprit who threw a hand-grenade on the protesters and conducted raids to arrest him, but he has changed his hideout,” SP Gilgit Wasil Khan told Dawn, adding that the man was also wanted in some other cases.

He declined to give more details and said the identity of the man could not be disclosed at the moment because those involved in the blast could escape.

He said some of the troublemakers had also gone underground, but information about their whereabouts was being gathered. The CCTV footage of the incident had been acquired, he added.

Deputy Inspector General Ali Sher, who is heading a team investigating the Chilas incident, said all the culprits would be brought to justice and his mission would be accomplished soon. He expressed the hope that there would be no interference in the investigation.

The DIG said the notables and tribal chieftains had expressed sorrow over the incident and they were very supportive.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who was due to visit Gilgit on Saturday, could not reach here because of some official engagements and would come on Sunday, officials said.

A curfew imposed in Gilgit on April 3 was relaxed for four hours from 2pm on Saturday.

Gilgit-Baltistan remained cut off from the rest of country because traffic on the Karakoram Highway was suspended.

Although more trucks loaded with foodstuff and essential commodities reached Gilgit, traders kept fleecing people. A wheat flour bag of 40kg was being sold at Rs1,200, while its official price is Rs700.

Flights were not operational and cell-phone service remained suspended.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the Gilgit-Baltistan cabinet resolved to enforce the writ of the state at all costs.

The meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Syed Mehdi Shah, decided to cleanse the region of weapons and vowed to take strict action without discrimination against the elements who were trying to destroy peace in the region.

The cabinet reviewed the law and order situation and directed the heads of law-enforcement agencies to ensure protection of lives and property of people.

An official handout quoted the chief minister as saying that no-one would be allowed to create a state within state.

He said those who took the city hostage would face the music because now there would be rule of law.

Mr Shah informed the meeting about the measures taken for restoring peace in the area and said drastic steps were taken to crush the anti-peace elements.