Pakistan’s anti-terror authorities issue countrywide alert of Islamic State attack

The presence of ISIS in Pakistan has increased alarmingly over the past year according to a report released by the independent Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies. Pakistani officials say that ISIS is launching attacks from bases across the border in Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s anti-terror body – National Counter Terrorism Authority – has said the terror group known as Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) is planning to launch terror attacks during the upcoming ‘Azadi March’ – organised by a religious party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Fazl (JUI-F) in cities across Pakistan.

Likely targets of attack may include the leaders of political parties, law enforcement agencies and the general public.

The Azadi March is a movement in Pakistan demanding Prime Minister Imran Khan’s resignation terming him and his government incompetent. The JUI-F chief Fazl has alleged that the General Elections in 2018, through which Khan came to power, were rigged to help his party – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

The government order further stated that “ISKP may use the March as conduit to spread their tentacles and infiltrate into major cities of Pakistan in the garb of Azadi March participants.”

It urged the general public and law enforcement to be “extremely vigilant and take the required precautionary measures”.

Pakistan has dismantled three terrorist cells of ISIS in recent months. At the same time, efforts are being taken to build up counter-terrorism departments in different provinces, mainly in Sindh and Punjab.

Meanwhile, the Imran Khan government has banned outfits linked to JUI-F ahead of the Azadi March. Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior on Thursday issued a notification banning the outfit – Ansarul Islam – saying that “it is capable of serving a military organisation.”

Source: Sputnik