| Pakistani intelligence agencies have discovered that jihadis (religious warriors) are planning to kidnap senior government officials, ministers and National and Provincial Assembly members to pressure the government to accept their demands, sources told Daily Times on Friday. Intelligence reports submitted to the Interior Ministry revealed that jihadi elements including Al Qaeda were planning to kidnap government officials in senior positions and National and Provincial Assembly members, particularly those of the treasury, to pressure the government to release detained Al Qaeda activists, sources added. The reports also revealed that jihadis would kidnap army officers and intelligence personnel, they said. "The reports stated that these jihadis are expected to use abductions — like in Iraq — to bargain with the government for the release of their activists or to pressure the government to accept their demands," sources said. Keeping the intelligence reports in mind, the Interior Ministry ordered the home secretaries and provincial police chiefs including the Islamabad chief commissioner and inspector general (IG) of police to plan counter measures, they added. |