Jul 10: The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) of Pakistan has said that some top politicians of the country, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan, can be attacked by terrorists during the campaign for Pakistan general elections, scheduled for July 25.
The authority informed about the threat to the leaders to a Senate panel. Among those facing the threat are PTI chief Imran Khan, Awami National Party president Afsandyar Wali, Qaumi Watan Party’s Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal leader Akram Durrani and ANP leader Ameer Haider Hoti, reported Pakistani media.
Apart from these, Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed’s son, Talha Saeed, who is contesting the elections on Allah-o-Akbar Tehreek party ticket, is also likely to be targeted by terrorists. The agency further said that some senior leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) were also in the hitlist of the terrorists.
NACTA has apprised the Interior Ministry, provincial home departments, and other agencies about the imminent threat to the top politicians of Pakistan, said a report in The Nation.
Pakistan-based Dawn News reported that the panel chief, Rehman Malik, had asked the Interior Ministry to ensure fool-proof security to all those facing the threat. He also called for providing security to the heads of all major political parties.
He further raised the issue of incidents of violence reported during the high-stake election campaign in the country. Malik cited the incident of a group of people pelting stones on the convoy of PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari while he was on his way to address a poll rally in Lyari area of Karachi.
Reports had said that Bilawal’s convoy was attacked by a group of at least 100 people. They also raised slogans like “Go Bilawal Go”. Due to heavy stone pelting, windshield of a truck, which was part of the convoy, was broken while two workers of the PPP also suffered injuries.
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