Lahore police on Saturday warned the senior leadership of the Pakistan Democratic Movement of "assassination attempts" on politicians, a day ahead of the Opposition's Minar-e-Pakistan rally in Lahore.
Lahore police have sent letters to PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz and lawmakers Khawaja Saad Rafique and Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, and PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.
"TTP terrorists are coordinating to carry out a terrorist activity on 13 December, 2020. Although details regarding place of terrorist activity and likely targets is not available, the date (13 December 2020) appears to be significant as a huge public gathering is expected at Minar-e-Pakistan," read the letter.
It states that after the terrorists failed in their attempt in Peshawar, "they are planning to shift their operatives, required material and logistics towards another place (most likely Lahore)".
The letter warns that information available suggests that hostile intelligence agencies along with Afghanistan-based Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan have planned to carry out terrorist activities in Punjab particularly in Lahore.
A meeting was held on December 8 on the Western border to "upsurge (sic) terrorist activities in Pakistan", according to the letter.
These hostile intelligence agencies "may also carry out assassinations of senior political personalities associated with PDM" to create instability in the country, it further warns
"Besides other targets, political and religious personalities or high profile figures of minorities in Punjab Province are on their priority list," the letter adds.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar had advised Opposition parties to avoid risking peoples’ lives by holding a large public gathering during a pandemic and amid a threat alert by The National Counter-Terrorism Authority (Nacta) and resolve issues through dialogue instead.
Chief Minister Buzdar questioned why it is imperative for the Opposition to hold a jalsa when coronavirus cases are on the rise. "What is the emergency that you have to hold jalsas?" he asked.
He said the government will deal with the PDM in accordance with the law.
The PDM is insistent on holding a rally in Lahore on December 13 despite the provincial government denying permission for a public gathering citing the rise in COVID-19 infections and despite the threat alert.
PML-N, which is hosting the event, held a mass contact campaign in Lahore urging the city dwellers for maximum participation, "come rain, storms or any hurdles", and has accused the government of attempting to creating hurdles with arrests, and flooding of the venue with water.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has said on multiple occasions that the 11-party Opposition alliance will not be prevented from holding a rally. However, he warned of legal action against facilitators such as organisers of the rally found violating coronavirus safety measures. He also urged the Opposition to consider putting off the rallies for 2-3 months.
The interior minister, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, besides Buzdar's aide on information Firdous Ashiq Awan, have both assured the Opposition that it need not worry about road blockades with containe
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