Punjab Police directed to provide security to PTI leaders

MULTAN: Security agencies have directed Punjab police to provide security to the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf politicians in the wake of life threats by Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), The News learnt here.
Sources in police said that the TTP had served life threats to PTI national organiser Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Punjab former governor and PTI leader Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, PTI candidate for NA-122 Abdul Aleem Khan, PTI Parliamentary Leader in Punjab Assembly Mian Mehmoodur Rashid and PTI senior leader Malik Taimur. They said that key objective behind the TTP move was to create the atmosphere of terror. They said that Punjab police had sent a secret circular to Multan district police, directing them to beef up security around the residence of Shah Mehmood Qureshi. They said that the same circular had also been sent to police of other districts, including Lahore. The sources said that Shah Mehmood Qureshi had already met Multan Regional Police Officer Tariq Masood Yasin and asked him to provide him security. According to the circular, the TTP had been using the special task force (STF) to target the politicians, the sources said, adding that the STF had attacked PTI Lahore leader Mian Muhammad Aslam but he luckily remained save. The STF had also targeted policemen in Dera Ghazi Khan and killed Pakhtunkhwa Qaumi Watan Party leader Muhammad Omer in Dir. The STF terrorists had also gunned down two police officials in Karachi, the sources added.
Meanwhile, police are still clueless to the Vehari Chowk bomb blast and are investigating on different lines, sources said. No suspect could be arrested even after two days of the incident.
However, security personnel have rejected the United Balochistan Army’s claim of carrying out the bomb blast. Security officials do not rule out the foreign hand in the incident. When contacted, Multan City Police Officer Azhar Ikram did not attend his phone.