ISLAMABAD – In the wake of two botched life attempts on JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman on consecutively on March 30 and 31 in Swabi and Charsada, the Interior Ministry on Thursday warned ANP President Asfandyar Wali, PML-Q President Shujaat Hussain, former information minister Sherry Rehman, former PPP information secretary Fauzia Wahab and a number of federal ministers against terrorist attacks for the second time in a month. A source in the ministry told Pakistan Today that the ministry had earlier cautioned Fazl a month ago about a possible terrorist attack on him and had also advised him as well as Asfanyar, Shujaat, Sherry and other ministers to be careful in their public appearance as the ministry had received information that they were on terrorists’ hit-list.
“The two consecutive life attempts on Fazlur Rehman in Swabi and Charsada on March, 30 and 31 have proved that the intelligence reports regarding life threats to the JUI-F chief and others were reliable,” an official of the ministry said. He said in the backdrop of life attempts on Fazl, the Interior Ministry had again cautioned Shujaat, Asfandyar, Sherry and others against terror attacks.
“The ministry has also informed the Prime Minister’s Secretariat about serious life threats to these leaders as well as some federal ministers. Besides ensuring the provision of fool-proof security to these politicians, the PM’s Secretariat has also advised them not to compromise on security arrangement in any condition,” said the source. He said the ministry had earlier informed the PM’s Secretariat that there was serious threat to the lives of these politicians four weeks ago.
The ministry had also informed the Prime Minister’s Secretariat about the contents of the intelligence report and accordingly the Prime Minister’s Secretariat had cautioned the federal ministers and leaders to beef up their security. The source said the ministry had also informed the ministers and directed them through Cabinet Division to keep security with them all the time. When contacted, Mufti Abrar, spokesman for the JUI-F said the Interior Ministry had neither provided security to Fazl nor had it informed him about any possible terror threat to his life. “The Ministry of Interior or any other government institution did not share any intelligence report regarding serious life threat to Fazlur Rehman with the JUI-F in the last three or four months,” he added.
