RAWALPINDI: Offshoots of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have come together under the name of ‘Ghazi Amalyat’, and are conducting terrorist activities across the country, including Lahore, Quetta and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to sources, a preliminary investigation by security agencies has revealed that various factions of the TTP, including the Jamaatul Ahrar, have become active and are targeting the police, army and judges. The report recommends the government take measures to avoid untoward incidents.

A security official said the regrouping of TTP factions in Fata and the areas bordering Afghanistan was evident from the recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan. He said the splinter groups made an alliance as they had not been able to achieve their targets due to law enforcement agencies launching operations against them.

He said officials of law enforcement agencies, police officers, lecturers and professors are on hit lists of various terror groups and that they have been asked to restrict their movement and be careful in the future. The first of new groups’ terrorist attacks was conducted on Feb 10 this year at an army check post in Baizai, on the border with Afghanistan.

According to intelligence reports, the terror group has as part of its ‘Operation Ghazi’ put parliament, provincial assemblies, police, law enforcement agencies, organisations of the judiciary and lawyers, financial institutions and co-education institutions on its hit list.

“There have been threats of terrorist attacks in Lahore and the commissioner and CCPO Lahore have been directed to constitute special teams for checking on-ground security arrangements,” the security official said.

Provincial authorities have already been intimated by law enforcement agencies that an offshoot of the TTP, the Jamaatul Ahrar, had warned of retaliatory attacks after law enforcement agencies launched a crackdown against it.

Intelligence agencies had also hinted that it appeared that the TTP and the Jamaatul Ahrar had developed a nexus and that their key commander, Farman Molvi, intends to attack soft targets including educational institutions.

Following the attack in Lahore, the Benazir Bhutto International Airport had been placed on red alert to avert any untoward incident.

Vehicles are checked when entering the airport premises and random body searches of passengers and visitors have also been started.

Temporary passes were cancelled and additional security officials were deployed at sensitive places.

Published in Dawn February 16th, 2017