Terrorists planning attack on Musharraf, warns Interior Ministry

E-Paper | March 17, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Taliban and al Qaeda terrorists have planned an assassination attempt on former president Pervez Musharraf, the Interior Ministry said in a letter Monday, prompting media speculation that the former military ruler may not appear in court on Tuesday.

In the letter sent to the Home Secretary Punjab, the Islamabad police chief, the chief commissioner and other officials, the Interior Ministry warns that terrorists affiliated with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Al Qaeda have planned to target General (R) Pervez Musharaf in the near future.

According to the letter, a copy of which is available with DawnNews, the ministry warns that the attackers have planned to assassinate Musharraf inside or outside the court. The ministry advises extreme vigilance and fool-proof security measures be taken to avoid any untoward incident.

Media reports on Monday quoted Musharraf’s lawyer Ahmed Raza Kasuri as saying that his client would not appear before the special court on Tuesday until he is provided fool-proof security.

The former military’s chief’s lawyers have previously warned the court that terrorists have been planning to kill judges and Musharraf’s lawyers

“I have received some information that terrorists are planning to assassinate the honourable judges (of the Special Court), two defence lawyers and a prosecutor,” Musharraf’s lawyer Rana Ijaz told the court last week.

The special court set up to try the retired military general for treason has summoned him on March 11 for indictment. The court has previously rejected a request by Musharraf’s lawyers to postpone the hearing.

The interior ministry’s letter comes less than a week after a bloody gun and bomb attack on the district courts in Islamabad left 11 people, including a district and sessions judge, dead and 29 injured.

The attack last Tuesday was the first time a judge was killed in a terrorist rampage inside a Pakistani courtroom.

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assad

Mar 10, 2014 08:25pm

End this drama of nonsense cases against Musharraf! The GoP should drop the emergency case, and put all its focus on the militancy issue as this is one of Pakistan's survival. If the goal was to rub a former military general's nose in the ground, then then precedence has been set. No use in continued flogging of a dead horse. The priorities need to be set right.

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malick

Mar 10, 2014 08:37pm

Not Sheeer but drama baz.

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Dr.M.M.Khan

Mar 10, 2014 09:03pm

@assad: I agree! The best thing would be for Musharraf to come on the TV and aplogize for the mistakes he made inadevertently and ask for forgivness. If the late president Nixon could ask for such so can Musharraf. His nose has been rubbed enough. The money used on his protection can be used for something else. Let us move on.

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s chaudhury

Mar 10, 2014 09:24pm

@malick: How can this be a drama while one judge was killed by the terrorests last week

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ahmed

Mar 10, 2014 09:55pm

Save the drama. Do a tele/web conference/trial and save millions being spent in providing him back and forth security and save the lives of innocent people around him in danger.

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Last Word

Mar 10, 2014 09:55pm

Why create a drama for flying the General out of the country ?

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Imran

Mar 10, 2014 10:46pm

One more thing that TTP and Nawaz Shareef have in common. A common enemy. It is clear anyone supporting action against Musharaf is also a Taliban apologist.

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Badar

Mar 10, 2014 11:15pm

@Dr.M.M.Khan: Apology is a good suggestion. He should seek them in court. But should still pay for his crimes against Pakistan and be punished for it. Why he should be forgiven? Can you provide some reasons?

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nisar

Mar 10, 2014 11:34pm

Akram and Sanullah should mellow down and advise Nawaz to let him fly out otherwise I would be the first to put blame on them for any mishap. Haven't they humiliated him enough??

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gangadin

Mar 10, 2014 11:58pm

Did Nisar Ali get the plans of attack? May be Dawn is a suitable newspaper to publish those plans.

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Zeeshan

Mar 11, 2014 12:23am

Interesting how the threats keep coming from

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gangadin

Mar 11, 2014 12:59am

@assad: This is exactly what the strategy of his lawyers is. Drag the case long enough till public gets fed up and starts demanding his expulsion and end of the process, in order to spend his protection money some where else.

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Farhan

Mar 11, 2014 01:12am

what a pity! those who killed 60 thousand innocent Pakistanis, government want peace dialogue with them and the one who did everything in favor of Pakistan is being trail for traitor. this only happens in Pakistan !!! Pervez Musharraf is the great leader and always will be.

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independentthinker

Mar 11, 2014 01:32am

Why don't you withdraw all the cases against him, send him to Dubai or England and save Pakistan millions of dollars! Simple solution!

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Mar 11, 2014 02:14am

@Dr.M.M.Khan: He has done that on media already, but must I ask, Why ? Apart from trying to root out people who posed threats to Pakistan, what did he do wrong. Please search on google where Pakistan's economy was in his era. I agree he was a dictator, but it was him who allowed opening of the media channels we see today, roads, bridges, infrastructure, national debt almost zero'd and economic prosperity with over a million jobs created. None of above is a fabricated myth, has anyone else done this much for Pakistan ? He remains a war hero of 65, 71 and other subsequent tough times. Is this how we treat our patriots ? I am convinced that Pakistan in now ruled by rogue agents of international agencies, hence why they are all loving towards India and enemies of Pakistan aka taliban.

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Farook

Mar 11, 2014 02:22am

@independentthinker: Pakistani police can only harass poor and helpless people. They cannot fight back Taliban. Trust me

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Ali

Mar 11, 2014 03:06am

@Dr.M.M.Khan: Let move on???? It's time they should be held accountable, let's not always be quick to throw things under the rug.

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sja

Mar 11, 2014 04:37am

If we cannot get this case discussed and litigated in the special court for all the reasons Mr. Qasuri and his team of elite lawyers including another Sayed Pirzada along with the Sayed Zada accused in this case. Have not these lawyers heard what happens in the US of A, if the cases cannot be solved in the court, better try to solve them OUT OF THE COURT. And the legal system which pronounce that IN GOD WE TRUST, everywhere in the courts, the litigants and the litigators all try to settle out of courts 90% of the time and save themselves from exorbitant court costs and cost of the super expensive lawyers going from $500 an hour to God knows and how much their clients can bear like in this case. So God help if the case cannot be solved so why not settle it OUT OF COURT without any threats to anybody and delay in JUSTICE FOR ALL.

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sja

Mar 11, 2014 04:43am

@Farhan: Farhan they say if you mix apples with oranges then they are neither apples nor oranges but a mixture of --- just see The General took oath to the office, He was CIC and then liked to become President and continued for 12 years. When you take oath in civilized societies, you honor them too and not just toss when you like and become President democratically and CIC in uniform, the famous two in one. The other party, has no democracy, have not taken oath on the constitution of Pakistan, and they are on their own and those outlaws are talked into to come forward and talk and be part of the Government and its constitution. Hope you see the different, the upper hand should be of the law and those who break the law should be brought to justice and you remember justice is blind and does not take into account of the position you had or want to have. It is what you did so there should be no comparison of what you wrote. Let them both be tried but they are ready to come to table but the General and his elite lawyers do not so, do you see the difference ---- main na manoooon -- wali baat.

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sja

Mar 11, 2014 04:48am

@assad: Assad if the horse was dead that was the end of the story., but the General under to be tried is alive and surrounded by the most elite of the legal minds Pakistan has, the same guys who helped the general to promulgate and they are free but he is in trouble, is there something in our constitution to make them guilty of assisting in the abrogation of constitution. One lawyer Qasuri does not trust this court, although he won a landmark case and took one ex president to gallows and no mercy and he saw it happen until death, now he is complaining of the same court that he cannot get justice and he is panickingly asking mercy for this president. Do not you see what types of people on the forefront. Remind me of the British Novel the carpetbeggars.

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H Nair

Mar 11, 2014 04:50am

Terrorists or freedom fighters? I guess it depends upon who their target is.

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sja

Mar 11, 2014 04:53am

@Dr.M.M.Khan: Dr M.M. Khan coincidently Nixon had a long nose. He was the first president to win by a landslide that no other President had won like him, and some got after him to rub his nose and then gates of political ill wind opened and the rest is in history. Muharraf does not have big nose but he has a big ego. He still says to Mubashir Luqman on his program MAIN DARTA WARTA KISSAY NAHIN, so he does not have big nose, but he has a very big ego, and that is the root cause. Hope you can see what difference a long nose and a big ego makes in the life of leaders like Nixon and Musharraf, sorry NO MATCH between the two.

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Shahbaz Khan

Mar 11, 2014 07:04am

@sja: Do you have a big nose?

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jamal

Mar 11, 2014 07:07am

We have found only one person in the whole country who has committed tresson. Rest of the politicians are Saints?

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Ram Krishan sharma

Mar 11, 2014 09:28am

@jamal: It is treason not tresson.

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SUNNY YUSUF

Mar 11, 2014 12:36pm

politician destroy the whole country

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SUNNY YUSUF

Mar 11, 2014 12:38pm

@Farhan: its sad, heard to honest person in your country

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SUNNY YUSUF

Mar 11, 2014 12:42pm

there is no danger, its a drama ,trust me in the end he be in Uk because of Pakistani army

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SUNNY YUSUF

Mar 11, 2014 12:47pm

@independentthinker: brother what about other bad peoples

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SUNNY YUSUF

Mar 11, 2014 01:41pm

Honest leader, that's what this country need, forget PPP .Nawaz shrift they are sucking poor peoples blood, they are not feeling your pain

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SUNNY YUSUF

Mar 11, 2014 01:57pm

you x chief justice was very honest person, he punish bad peoples . if he be on bench Musharraf will be convicted long time a go. You peoples was very lucky having him, I am proud of him, very proud

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Burkhia

Mar 11, 2014 03:26pm

1999 ..... may return again, against current democracy where giving chance to talk with criminals like TALIBAN . Love you Pervez Musharraf

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sja

Mar 11, 2014 05:18pm

@Shahbaz Khan: you guessed it wrong those who have long noses and big egos face these political calamities in history so what is your WOE NO NOSE?

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independentthinker

Mar 11, 2014 07:14pm

@SUNNY YUSUF: Just because there are other "bad people" - we should let everyone go free? Are you really making sense?

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independentthinker

Mar 12, 2014 01:36am

@Farook: Between our police and the military, I believe we can overcome any obstacles. We just need to set our priorities and focus on our mission. Nothing is impossible. We have overcome major challenges - Talibans are nothing!

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Ghulam Shah

Mar 12, 2014 08:50pm

@assad: Do you think PML-N leaders are that smart?

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Dr.M.M.Khan

Mar 13, 2014 01:50am

@Oz: I thank you for your comments and partly agree with them. I agree he created a illusion of prosperity which ultimately turned to be more poverty. He tried the trickle down prosperity approach earlier tried by late Pres. Ayub. As the saying goes power corrupts and abslute power corrupts. After doing a lot good his desire to hold on to power undid all he did. The end justifies the means. He reached a deal with late benazir to hang on to power. Dictators never seem to understand that their time is up. After such a distinguished career in the military it is a pity now he is in the dock. There was a time he could walk on the water now he cannot step on it. He suffered from delusion of grandeour and decided to come back. He was badly advised. Too much water had gone under the bridge. Pakistanis have a crude way of punishing their leaders. Musharraf should have known better but i still have sympathy for him but what can you expect from the judiciary whom he put behind the bars---revenge being inflicted on a seventy years sick man!

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