LAHORE: The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has hurled life threats at Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s six senior leaders after making two attempts on the life of party MPA Mian Aslam Iqbal.

The timing of the attacks and the threat is crucial as the PTI has launched by-election campaign in NA-122 and PP-147.

Claiming responsibility for the attacks, a TTP spokesperson through an email on Sept 7 threatened fatal attacks on PTI national organiser Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Punjab organiser Chaudhry Sarwar, NA-122 candidate Abdul Aleem Khan, opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, MPAs Mian Aslam Iqbal and Malik Taimoor.

The Punjab government has directed the PTI leaders to restrict their movement for a few days, till the government hunts down perpetrators of the attack on Aslam Iqbal’s residence and trace origin of the email.

Sarwar says TTP made two attempts on the life of MPA

It is learnt that some PML-N top leaders are also under threat.

Punjab PTI organiser Mr Sarwar has written a letter to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif telling him that the attacks and the threat had come at a time when the party had launched a full-fledged electioneering in NA-122 and PP-147. He complained that the Punjab police had not taken any action till date.

Responding to the situation, sources in the Punjab government told Dawn that a meeting of the District Intelligence Committee (DIC) held on Thursday asked the PTI leaders to restrict their movement and directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to hunt down the culprits.

The DIC meeting chaired by DCO Muhammad Usman and attended by the ISI, FIA, CTD, Special Branch, police, district administration and PTI representatives discussed the TTP email in detail. The committee devised a security strategy and directed that the PTI leaders should not move without informing the focal person. It also discussed threat to PML-N leaders.

The committee has directed the DIGs of operation and investigation wings to ensure foolproof security to PTI leaders.

In his letter to the chief minister, Mr Sarwar explained that an onslaught was attempted on MPA Iqbal at his political office in Samanabad by unidentified motorcyclists on Sept 5. He stated the incident was immediately reported to police. But before they could make any progress, Mr Iqbal’s same office was again attacked by four motorcyclists on Sept 6.

He said Mr Iqbal escaped the attack as he was busy in a public rally for Abdul Aleem Khan.

Mr Sarwar said the two failed attempts were claimed by TTP spokesperson Muhammad Khurasani through a media statement. He asked the chief minister to provide police protection to six party leaders.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2015

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