By IANS
Islamabad : Most of Pakistan’s political leaders face a looming threat of attack, the interior ministry says, advising them to comply with its security instructions to avoid unnecessary exposure.
“We have issued a security advisory to politicians across the board,” interior ministry spokesman Brig. (retired) Javed Iqbal Cheema said at his weekly press briefing Tuesday.
“However, the spokesman changed his previous stance about threats to some particular politicians,” the Dawn reported Wednesday.
“There is no threat to any particular politician and the (new) security advisory was issued to all politicians,” Cheema said.
At a briefing on Jan 1, the spokesman had said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, former leader of the opposition Maulana Fazlur Rehman, former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, former railways minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, former interior minister Aftab Sherpao and former minister for political affairs Ameer Muqam were among the politicians on the hit-list of terrorists.
“Yes, I had told the media that some top politicians were under threat, but that statement was only for a specific time and today there is no specific threat and the security advisory was for all politician as a precautionary measure,” Cheema said, adding that it had been issued following the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
“After the assassination of Ms. Bhutto it is of paramount importance that the political leadership is sensitised about looming threat. They should adopt a security conscious approach,” the spokesman maintained.
It was Cheema who had floated the infamous “sunroof lever killed Bhutto” theory that the Pakistani government retracted within hours.
Cheema said the fresh advisory was aimed at providing general guidelines to politicians for their safety and security.
“The government would provide adequate security cover to the political leaders, but it is incumbent upon the political leadership itself to play its role in taking necessary steps to ensure their own safety by cooperating and paying heed to the security advisory,” the spokesman added.
He said that home secretaries and heads of security agencies had been asked to ensure foolproof security of all political leaders who were under threat.
“It is mandatory for the political leadership to maintain close liaison with provincial home departments and local police. Politicians have been asked to pay due attention to the security advice of the local police chief and keep the provincial administration and police informed about their travel plans,” Cheema added.
He suggested that politicians avoid unnecessary public exposure, make their travel plans flexible or unpredictable and use different routes for travelling. Politicians have also been advised to give preference to official security personnel over their personal guards.
“Gatherings and corner meetings can be arranged for electioneering, but big rallies should be avoided as far as possible,” the advisory said, adding: “Personal guards/party workers’ details for security duty should be issued with security passes for recognition by local police.”