TTP threatens to target PML-N, PPP leaders

PESHAWAR    –   The outlawed Teh­reek-i-Taliban Paki­stan (TTP) Wednes­day issued threat to target the top lead­ers of the two lead­ing political par­ties in the ruling coalition, including the Pakistan Mus­lim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Paki­stan Peoples Party (PPP), if they contin­ued to support tough mea­sures against the mili­tants. “If these two par­ties remain firm on their position, then action will be taken against their leading people,” a state­ment issued by the mili­tant group on social media said. The group warned that “people should avoid getting close to such lead­ing people.” It claimed that the TTP was only waging what it called ‘ji­had’ in Pakistan. It es­pecially warned Foreign Minister Bilawal, whose mother former prime minister Benazir Bhut­to was killed in a terrorist attack in 2007. “Although Bilawal is still young, this poor man has not yet wit­nessed the state of war,” the statement said, adding that the PPP leader had declared an open war on TTP. The group also said that it had not taken ac­tion against any political party for a long time but “unfortunately…Bilawal Bhutto Zardari gave the US the status of mother to quench the thirst of his mother’s love”.

The terrorist outfit also said that Prime Minister Sharif had committed the support of his entire par­ty in the war against TTP to please the U.S.

The TTP spared the re­ligious political parties, saying there is no scope for action against them in TTP’s policy. However, it said that “we also request you (religious parties) to refrain from activities against us.” The warning comes just days after the civil-military leadership of the country met under the banner of the Nation­al Security Committee and vowed to show “zero tol­erance” for terrorism in the country.

The statement was re­leased to media by TTP spokesman Muhammad Khorasani who stated that they were fighting the se­curity agencies of Paki­stan. He said PML-N’s Shehbaz Sharif has also spoken against the TTP and tried to implicate his entire party into the war against the Taliban. 

“If these two parties continue to support ar­my’s policies, TTP will be­gin targeting their leader­ship,” he added.