ISLAMABAD: The crime investigation agency (CIA) police have arrested three members of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), embroiled in extorting huge money from industrialists, business tycoons and lawyers of the twin-cities of Rawalpindi-Islamabad and Khaybe-Pakhtoonkhwa. The police also recovered firearms from their possession, SP (Investigation) Mustansar Feroz said while addressing a press conference on Friday.

A former federal minister and now adviser to the prime minister, a former provincial minister of KP, top politicians, members of Parliament, businessmen, owners of tobacco factories and lawyers were among the people who received threatening letters followed by telephone calls from North Waziristan and Afghanistan, the sources said.

Some people who received threatening letters from the TTP activists lodged complaint with the office of the inspector general of police (IGP) Islamabad who referred the case to SP (CIA/Investigation), the police sources said adding that the victims produced some letters sent to them from the TTP members who warned them of dire consequences if they failed to pay ransom.

The CIA Islamabad police launched an operation, backed by meticulous technical backup, to get information regarding their arrival in Islamabad to collect the amount. As they reached Islamabad, the CIA arrested all three of them identified as Malik Aalam Khan Wazir son of Aqeeb Khan Wazir, resident of Sola Malik Shahi, Tehsil Razmak, North Waziristan, the ringleader, Mohammad Tahir Yousafzai son of Ghulam Haider Yousafzai, resident of Ghundo Payan, Sakha Kot, Dargai, District Malakand Agency and Mukammal Shah Qasimkhail son of Mohammad Zareen Qasimkhail, resident of Shangash, Warhi, Upper Dir.

The sources said that a famous lawyer received a letter and telephone call the other day from TTP people saying: “180,000 Mujahideen, followers of Baitullah Mehsud, hidden in the mountainous areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan are fighting anti-Muslim forces

for the supremacy of Islam. Their daily food expenditures are Rs290000. You are requested to bear two days expenses of Mujahideen-e-Islam or be ready to face the consequences.”

An industrialist, owner of a vegetable oil mill in Islamabad, was kidnapped from Islamabad and the captors demanded over 500 million rupees as ransom but settled for 70 million rupees but he hasn’t yet been freed.

The group had threatened various factory owners in KPK, hotel owners in Murree and had plans to extort money from the business community of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the police sources said.

