Pakistani intelligence agencies have alerted the government about banned jihadi groups' plans to kidnap senior government officials, ministers and lawmakers to get detained al-Qaeda militants released. Intelligence reports submitted to the interior ministry revealed that jihadi elements, including al-Qaeda, were planning to kidnap government officials in senior positions and treasury members of the national and provincial assemblies to pressure the government to release the detained militants, local newspaper Daily Times quoted officials as saying today. "The reports stated that these jihadis are expected to use abductions 'like in Iraq' to bargain with the government for the release of their activists or to pressure the government to accept their demands, the officials said.
Following the reports, Interior Ministry ordered the home secretaries and provincial police chiefs, including the Islamabad Chief Commissioner and Inspector General of Police, to plan counter-measures, the officials said. The security around senior government officials and Parliamentarians has been increased, they said, adding the home department of the Pakistan's Punjab province also ordered deployment of the provincial constabulary personnel at the houses of senior officials. The reports also stated that jihadis would kidnap army officers and personnel of intelligence agencies themselves. |