SWABI: Mohammad Rashid Advocate, a former chairman of the Public Safety Commission, has received threatening letters from unknown persons, asking him to pay extortion or face “dire consequences.”

It has been learnt that he is not the only prominent figure having received a threatening letter as various other leaders have also been threatened of consequences, but they have remained tight-lipped.

When contacted, Mr Rashid Advocate confirmed to Dawn the receipt of such a letter, saying he had informed the district police about it.

However, an advisory note issued to him by DSP Swabi tehsil says he should take precautionary measures for his security. He has been told to avoid unnecessary movement; keep a licensed weapon, if any, for his defense/protection and maintain security on his part. The note, however, said policemen in plainclothes ‘will frequently be active in the surroundings of his house’.

He has been asked to contact immediately the Swabi district police officer, DSP headquarters, SHO Swabi city police station and the police control room in case he spots any suspect around.

Meanwhile, former Topi tehsil naib nazim Mohammed Younus, who also remained part of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, said on Wednesday Imran Khan’s threat to dissolve the provincial assemblies was his final card he wanted to use, but like his previous tactics it would also meet with a dead end.

Talking to mediapersons, he said the former PTI government in the centre had pushed the country’s economy into deep crisis.

Mr Younus insisted Imran Khan did not have sustainability in his policies and changed his positions repeatedly, harming the nation and future of younger generation.

He claimed the nation was no longer interested in following the former prime minister. He said Pakistan needed ‘serious’ leaders to tackle the issues in a prudent manner.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2022