The KP government claims that the Chief Minister has nothing to do with the 'threat alert' for Arshad Sharif.

 

The KP government claims that the Chief Minister has nothing to do with the 'threat alert' for Arshad Sharif

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Thursday claimed that provincial Chief Minister Mehmood Khan had nothing to do with the Counter-Terrorism Department issuing a letter regarding threats to the life of senior TV anchor Arshad Sharif.

  In early August this year, a 'threat alert' about plans by a splinter group of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan to target Mr. Arshad prompted CTD's advisory as Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations Major.  Highlighted.  General Iftikhar Babar while holding a press conference on Thursday said that CTD's letter was issued on the instructions of Chief Minister Mehmood Khan.

  In a video statement, provincial government spokesperson Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif said that CTD is the frontline agency of the provincial government and its mandate is to issue alerts on terrorist threats and crack down on terrorism.

"Our chief minister [Mahmood Khan] has nothing to do with CTD issuing threat alerts," he said.

  Issuance of such letters is said to be a 'routine activity of CTD

  Issuing such an alert is a 'routine activity for CTD, Mr. Saif said.

  He said that the Intelligence Bureau, CTD, and other agencies also issued a threat alert.

  The spokesperson insisted that as far as Arshad Sharif is concerned, the journalist and his family are receiving threats.

"We are not saying that but the [slain] journalist's own statements suggest so," he said.

  Mr. Saif said that if CTD's threat alert had been false, Arshad would not have been killed in Kenya.

  Regarding Arshad's use of Bacha Khan Airport, Peshawar to leave Pakistan, he said the airports and other agencies overseeing them are under the control of the federal government.

  He said that the Center has administrative control over the Federal Investigation Agency, Anti-Narcotics Force, and Customs.

The spokesperson said that if the federal government had any objection to Mr. Arshad leaving the country, it could have easily stopped it.

  He said that Peshawar Airport is an international airport and anyone can travel from it.

  Regarding the official protocol of the slain journalist in Peshawar, he said that the provincial government usually provides the services of protocol officers to important persons including senior journalists on request.

  He further said that the protocol officers facilitated these persons till they reached the airport and the matters inside the airport came under the jurisdiction of the federal authorities.

  Earlier in the day, the Director General of ISPR and ISI told a news conference that the KP government had issued a 'threat alert' letter on August 5 at the direction of Chief Minister Mehmood Khan, announcing  It was said that the TTP breakaway group was 'trying to target Arshad Sharif'.  .

  "No such information has been shared with the relevant agencies," Lt Gen Iftikhar said.  He added that this conduct showed that the threat alert was issued with the intention of forcing Mr. Arshad to leave the country.

  “There were reports that he (Arshad Sharif) did not want to leave the country, but he kept being reminded that his life was in danger.  On August 10, he left for Dubai via EK-637 from Peshawar Airport.  He was provided a full protocol by the KP government,” he said, adding that the journalist was escorted to the airport by KP officers.

  On August 5, the CTDKP issued a 'threat alert' about a TTP splinter group planning to target the slain journalist.

  The alert said it had learned from some reliable sources that a splinter group of the TTP had discussed the future targeting of anchorperson Arshad Sharif in their meeting in Sur Kariz, Aspinboldak, Afghanistan.  What is it.

  "To execute their plan, the terrorists have finalized to spy on the target and locate it at a suitable location, most likely in Rawalpindi and its adjoining areas," it said.  said

  In light of this situation, extreme vigilance and all possible safety measures should be adopted, including specific instructions to prevent unnecessary movement of the target along with its sensitivity, the alert said.

  The advisory was also shared with the Additional Inspector General of Police, CTD, Punjab.