04 March,2009 02:23 PM IST | | PTI
Pakistani authorities have detained about a dozen suspects in connection with the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team here that left six players injured, as government announced a reward of Rs one crore for information about the attackers.
Nearly 12 suspects were detained during raids by a special investigation team on hostels and guesthouses in Gulberg area of the city on Tuesday. However, no 'prime suspects' are among those taken into custody and no breakthrough has been made in the probe, reports said.
The Government of Punjab province has offered a reward of Rs one crore for information leading to the arrest of terrorists responsible for the attack and their accomplices.
Advertisements placed in newspapers by the provincial government sought the help of the public help in identifying and tracking down the attackers.
The government formed the special investigation team yesterday after a dozen heavily armed terrorists targeted the bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team and its police escort at a busy traffic roundabout near Gaddafi Stadium.
Eight persons, most of them policemen, were killed and over 20, including six players and a coach, were injured in the brazen attack which resulted in the Sri Lankan team calling off its tour of Pakistan.
Punjab Governor Salman Taseer told a news conference last night that some clues about the attack had been found though it was too early to say who was responsible for the incident. He said if any security lapse was detected during the probe, strict action would be taken against the responsible officials.
Taseer also said a complete investigation would be conducted to gather evidence instead of making accusations about "any hidden or foreign hand" being behind the terrorist strike.
The attack was carried out by trained terrorists and preparations for it were not completed in a few days. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama arrived in Islamabad this morning for talks with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi.