RAWALPINDI: Punjab’s home department has raised a threat alert for VVIPs after receiving intelligence warnings that they could be targeted by Taliban militants.

Official communications seen by Dawn advised the government to restrict the movements of VVIPs and their families and increase their security as they could be targeted with IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and even Manned Portable Air Defence Systems can hit their helicopter rides.

In its alert, the provincial home department said miscreants had long been planning such attacks in Lahore and Islamabad to avenge the losses they suffered in Zarb-e-Azb military operation and the implementation of the National Action Plan to counter terrorism.

Usually, summer sees greater movement of VVIPs as they head for cool Murree with their families.

“Now, the militants are planning to attack VVIPs and their families visiting or staying in Murree during summer as the place is accessible from Khyber Pakhtunkhua and Punjab and mobility and logistics are easy,” noted the threat alert.

City Police Officer Israr Ahmed Abbasi said extra and well-equipped policemen would be deployed in Murree and on hilltops to ensure the safety of VVIPs helicopters but hoped the advice to restrict their movements would be acted upon.

There had been threats before also but this time the police are taking “drastic measures” to protect the VVIPS as intelligence agencies are not ruling out the possibility of an attack “anywhere in the province”.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2015

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