KARACHI: A terrorist wanted for facilitating the deadly suicide attack on former Punjab Home Minister Shuja Khanzada has been killed in a police encounter in Karachi, police officials said on Thursday.

The suspected terrorist, identified as Saad Sarkhan who was also involved in attacks on police and a district and sessions court in Haripur, was gunned down late Wednesday night near Khawaja Ajmer Nagri in North Karachi area.

Saad Sarkhan was wanted by police for allegedly providing the suicide jacket in the assassination of former Punjab Home Minister Shuja Khanzada.

At least 15 other people including two policemen were also killed in the twin suicide bomb attack on a building where the minister was holding a meeting on August 16, 2015 in Shadi Khan village, about 70 kilometres north-west of Islamabad.

SSP Central Irfan Baloch said the wanted terrorist was killed in the encounter while two of his accomplices managed to flee.

Police recovered four hand grenades, six pistols, a Chinese-made rifle gun, 7mm rifle rounds and three so-called 'awan bombs' from the terrorists' possession.

Another shootout took place in New Karachi Industrial Area in which a suspect was arrested in injured condition, while his co-accused escaped.

A pistol with three rounds, a repeater gun, and eight mobile phones were seized from the criminals.

Terror bid foiled in Multan

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) said it had gunned down two suspected terrorists at Sher Shah Bund area of Multan early Thursday, foiling a terror plot in the city.

According to CTD officials, the raid was carried out on a tip-off about the presence of terrorists linked to a banned outfit in the area. The suspects resorted to firing when the police approached their hideout.

In the retaliatory fire which followed, two terrorists were killed while three others managed to escape in the darkness, the officials said.

Police also recovered a cache of explosives and sophisticated weapons from their possession.