Taliban warn of reprisal if PML-N govt hangs militants

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PESHAWAR: The outlawed Punjabi Taliban, an offshoot terrorist organisation of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), on Monday warned the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government of dire consequences if it carries on with its plan of executing some convicts on death row.

In a pamphlet, distributed in southern Punjab and South and North Waziristan tribal agencies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, the terrorist outfit said that the government will be considered at war with them if it goes on to execute their colleagues currently serving jail terms and are on death row.

Pakistani authorities on Thursday said they will hang four convicts on death row later this month, ending a five year stay on the execution of death sentences ordered by the outgoing president.

Inspector General Sindh prisons Nusrat Mangan told Dawn.com that four condemned prisoners, including two members of the banned sectarian outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), would be executed at the Sukkur jail and Karachi Central prison on August 20, 21 and 22.

The pamphlet also warned the PML-N government to be wary of blindly following the Pakistan Army as it said the armed forces use political forces for their own gains. “They (Pak Army) will be in favour of yet another political force after alienating them at due time.”

“Remember what happened to Awami National Party (ANP)….. No one would now go to them even for condolences,” said the pamphlet whose copy is available with Dawn.com.

It said the drone attack on Waliur Rehman was a planned conspiracy of “pro-America generals” to sabotage their ‘wish’ for peace. “Execution of prisoners will prove to be next episode of that conspiracy,” said the pamphlet.

The purpose of this conspiracy is to push the PML-N and its allies into the swamp, it added.

Meanwhile, security has been put on high alert in Tank district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after Taliban threats of targeting the government properties including DPO office on August 14.

Official sources told Dawn.com that the TTP militants had threatened a week ago to rob banks and burn down the DPO office in the wake of Independence Day celebrations on Wednesday.

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