The federal government has decided to deploy Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel outside the residence of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan city due to security concerns, it emerged on Tuesday.

In a letter dated June 29 to the FC commandant in Peshawar, the interior ministry issued orders to deploy “one platoon” of FC personnel at the residence of the JUI-F chief “to avoid any untoward situation”.

The decision has been taken on the prime minister’s directives for security purposes and recent incidents involving the JUI-F’s chief son, Asjad Mahmood.

Earlier last month, Mahmood’s vehicle was intercepted on the main highway by armed men when he was on his way from DI Khan to Lakki Marwat.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently visited Fazl’s residence in Islamabad and expressed concern over the alleged attack and attempted kidnapping of the JUI-F chief’s son, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.

The prime minister expressed deep concern over the assault and foiled kidnapping attempt on Mahmood and inquired about his health, according to a statement from the PM’s Media Office.

PM Shehbaz issued immediate directives to arrest those involved in the attack and ensure swift legal action.

JUI-F leaders have come under attack in recent years in Balochistan and KP. On May 15, a powerful explosion targeted the vehicle of local JUI-F leader Maulana Noorullah near a seminary in South Waziristan.

Police said the bomb attack was carried out to target Maulana Noorullah, who remained unharmed. The JU-F leader was accompanied by local party leaders Maulana Ishaq and Maulana Amanullah when the blast occurred.

On April 25, a local leader of the JUI-F and two women were killed and five others were injured in a roadside explosion near the Kalat district.

The incident occurred in the Kapootu area when a pickup vehicle carrying eight people was hit by an improvised explosive device planted on the roadside near Killi Kapootu, according to Levies officials.

The vehicle was coming from Kalat when the blast took place. The pickup was driven by JUI-F local leader and union council member Maulana Abdullah Nachari.

On March 14, a bomb exploded at a mosque in South Waziristan district during Friday prayers, injuring JUI district chief Abdullah Nadeem and three others. Nadeem was seriously wounded, while three others, also belonging to the JUI, sustained minor injuries.

In another incident on March 2, two leaders of JUI-F Balochistan were killed in Zehri area of Khuzdar district.