ISLAMABAD - Following an unprecedented media condemnation of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) over attack on Malala Yousafzai, the government has issued directives to step up security outside the offices of national and international media outlets in fear of backlash from the defunct militant organisation.
A responsible functionary of interior ministry told BBC on the condition of anonymity that secret agencies had recorded telephonic conversation of TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud with one of his activists Nadim Abbas alias Inteqami whereby he was directing him to take action against the media.
According to that report Hakimullah asked Nadim to target offices of national and international media located in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi and other cities as they are hitting hard TTP following attack on Malala.
TTP had to face immense reaction from inside and outside Pakistan after 14-year-old girls’ education activist was attacked upon. This attack triggered a massive repulsion against TTP and people at large demanded operation against the outlawed militant organisation.
TTP spokesman had accepted the responsibility of October 9 attack on Malala. The TTP hurled threats on persons associated with national and international media through telephone and e-mail. Interior ministry sources said the religious leaders who are criticising openly the attack on Malala have also been asked to remain careful.
The federal government directed all the quarters concerned to deploy police contingents in the areas where offices of national and international media are operating and if need arises, the federal government could be asked for dispatching paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) to the respective cities.
The ministry functionary said that Islamabad chief commissioner and chief secretaries of all the four provinces have been directed to hold meetings with responsible persons of the media to allay their security concerns. He told BBC that police and management officers would soon arrange meetings with media persons in pursuance of the directives.