Hunt on for attackers

	The Sri Lankan team bus which took the impact of the bullets © AFP Enlarge

Pakistan officials have detained around two dozen people in connection with the attack on the bus carrying Sri Lanka's cricketers to the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore on Tuesday. Six policemen and two civilians were killed in the attack which left five Sri Lankan cricketers injured.

"Around two dozen people have been picked up, most of them belonging to banned or outlawed organisations, in the hope of finding a clue to the identity of the escaped terrorists," a police official told AFP.

The militants fired 25 bullets on the bus and also hurled grenades and a rocket. It is believed that the attackers may be linked to radical terrorist groups like the al-Qaeda and the Taliban. However, their identities are being kept confidential.

"Some people have been detained and the investigations are progressing in the right direction," Lahore city police chief Habib-ur-Rehman, said.

All the attackers fled the scene and they left behind a large weapons cache, anti-personnel mines and two unexploded car bombs. The Punjab government has offered a reward of Rs 10 million (US$ 125,000) for leads on the terrorists. Asif Ali Zardari, the Pakistan president, was confident the investigation team would nab the attackers.

"Progress has been made in the investigation and the perpetrators will be exposed and brought to justice," Zardari said in an official statement.