LAHORE: The Punjab home department said on Saturday it had received intelligence reports warning that RAW could carry out attempts on the lives of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed.

An official of the home department said on Saturday the warning was received two days ago that RAW (Research and Analysis Wing), India’s intelligence agency, had already tasked its agents to kill the prime minister and the JuD chief.

According to a letter issued by the home department, RAW has made plans to attack “high-value targets” in Pakistan to create chaos on a wide scale.

Consequently, Mr Sharif and Hafiz Saeed had been conveyed the warning.

The agencies concerned and the prime minister’s staff had been asked to ensure Mr Sharif’s security, especially during his public appearances.

RAW officials were planning to portray the (said) actions as retaliatory strikes by the banned extremist groups like Lashkar-i-Jhangvi and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan to avenge recent counter-terrorist actions.

The letter said that RAW had also tasked its agents to gather all possible addresses of Hafiz Saeed in Punjab.

According to the letter, officials concerned had been directed to adopt precautions, besides exercising extra vigilance and taking heightened security measures at all tiers.

Police’s security wing said that the JuD chief had also been asked to ensure his security.

India has been after Hafiz Saeed since the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack, which it alleged was orchestrated by him.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister Musadik Malik was quoted by Geo TV as terming it a conspiracy. He said `we know how to protect our prime minister’.

Published in Dawn, October 18th , 2015

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