Lahore, Pakistan: A large number of parliamentarians including Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shabaz Sharif are on hit target list of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar.
According to sources, information came on surface during exchange of information among different intelligence outfits. It may be mentioned that Jamaat-ul-Ahrar is a new brand name of Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LeJ) which has deep roots in Punjab and now is being operated from Afghanistan.
Sources claim that Apex Committee meeting that took place on Sunday reviewed the matter and decided to enhance security of parliamentarians.
“The option of seeking help from Rangers to deal with terrorist outfits came under discussion because there are reports that LeJ had its connection within police circles”, claim sources.
However, the final decision of involving Rangers in Punjab would be taken by Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif.
Sources say that a summary has been prepared to grant powers to Rangers to execute terrorism related action alone but operations would be only terrorism specific and targeted to Lej and other banned outfits.
It may be mentioned that Jamaat-ul-Ahrar is very active in Punjab and took responsibility of suicide bombing outside Punjab Assembly killing top police officials and 25 persons last week. This outfit also took responsibility of Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park blast that took place last year on Easter day and killed over 35 civilians mostly Christians who were gathered in park in connection with Easter celebrations.
Jamaat-ul-Ahrar is a new brand name of Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LeJ) whose leadership was killed in a police encounter on July 29, 2015.
Chief of LeJ Malik Ishaq was killed in Muzaffargarh along with his two sons and 11 others, including his deputy commander Syed Ghulam Rasool Shah.
Lej took revenge of this police encounter by killing the then Home Minister Shuja Khanzada who was killed in a suicide blast on 16 August 2015 at his Dera (home cum office) at Shadikhan Attock.
