Pakistani police claimed to have arrested many suspected militants amid crack down in the outskirts of Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier Province (NWFP), as the death toll of a suicide attack in Shangla reached 45, local media reported Tuesday, Xinhua reported.
On Monday, a suicide bomber blew up himself near a security forces check post in Alpuri, the headquarters of Shangla district near the Swat valley in the insurgency-hit NWFP.
According to sources, the decision to launch crack down against suspected militants came in connection with recent spate of bomb blast in Peshawar and Shangla areas while the arrests were made from Budha Bir, Pashta Khara, Armar, Chamkani and other areas.
Police sources told media they had kicked off investigation with those arrested soon after crack down was launched while many were released later after they were proved innocent.
Meanwhile, at least 24 suspected persons have been arrested from parts of the twin cities, the capital city of Islamabad and the garrison city of Rawalpindi, while four others were held from Lahore late on Monday night in connection with militants' strike on army headquarters.
Sources said that four among arrested persons were members of a family and some others were believed to be Afghan citizens while those arrested from Lahore were reportedly hailing from Mianwhali city in Punjab Province.
A group of 10 militants attacked the checkpoints at the gate of Pakistan army headquarters in Rawalpindi on Saturday. After heavy firing with the security men, some militants managed to flee and held dozens of persons hostage in a security building inside the headquarters. Special Services Group launched rescue operation in early Sunday morning after 18-hour standoff and 39 hostages were freed safe.
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