JUI-F asks to beef up security for its leadership amid life threats

• Police say adequate security has been provided to politicians.
• Police have countrywide been alerted to improve the security.
• JUI-F wants extra security during election campaign.

PESHAWAR: After the CTD arrested two would-be bombers planning to attack Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Awami National Party chief Aimal Wali Khan, the JUI-F through a letter expressed concern with the relevant authorities including the top electoral body regarding threats to its leadership from terrorists.

Hence, the party demanded, that security for the JUI-F leadership should be enhanced during the election campaign, The News reported on Saturday.

A senior Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police official told the publication that they had not received any instructions to provide security to a specific personality, however, they had beefed up security for those facing any kind of threat.

The senior police officer said the JUI-F leadership had approached the ECP for added security after two would-be bombers planning to attack leaders of JUI and ANP were held. The official said adequate security had also been provided to the leadership of other political parties in KP.

On January 3, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police had issued a security advisory and threat alert to former federal minister for communications Maulana Asad Mahmood asking him to remain on high alert and keep his movement limited. 

The advisory notice said that there were reports of possible terrorist attacks on Fazl's son Maulana Asad or his residence and advised him to avoid public gatherings and unnecessary travel besides keeping his movement secret and limited.

The CTD on January 12 arrested two alleged would-be suicide bombers sent to attack Fazlur Rehman and Aimal Wali Khan.

An official of the CTD told reporters that both the terrorists were arrested during two separate operations from the outskirts of Peshawar. Two suicide jackets, hand grenades, 9mm pistols and terrorism related literature was recovered from them.

The held terrorists were identified as Adil Khan from Matani and Tahir Khan from Landikotal. The official said the held terrorists were members of Daesh and were trained across the border in Paktia, Afghanistan, in June 2023.

“They had planned to carry out attacks on senior politicians and for that reason the held terrorists had visited the Mufti Mahmood Markaz in Peshawar a few times to know about the routes and schedule of politicians,” he added.

The authorities had last month alerted the police across the country to further improve the security of two senior politicians from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after reports of threats to their lives. In the threat alert, the chief secretaries and police chiefs of the provinces were asked to take adequate measures for Fazl and Aimal Wali Khan's security.