DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Amid the fast-developing scenario ahead of the elections, firing occurred near convoy of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman near Yarak Interchange in Dera Ismail Khan, the party officials said.
District Police Officer (DPO) Rauf Kesrani refuted claims about attack on the convoy of JUI-F Chief maulana Fazl, saying the firing occurred near vehicles part of Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s convoy near Yarak Interchange. He said that Maulana was not present there where firing took place.
“Maulana Fazlur Rehman was not present,” he said without providing any further details.
RPO Nasir Mehmood Dasti also rubbished reports of attack on Maulana Fazl’s convoy saying the Yarak interchange police checkpost was attacked in DI Khan.
He said that the assailants fled the spot of incident after a strong response from the interchange police.
The RPO maintained that Maulana Fazl was not in the convoy which the JUI-F claimed was attacked. The convoy was passing by near the interchange when the attack occurred, he added.
The JUI-F chief was reportedly passing through Dera Ismail Khan as part of his election campaign when the incident occurred. After the attack, Fazl successfully reached his ancestral home in Abdul Khel, where he is reported to be safe.
The development comes days after the interior ministry warned that there were serious threats to the lives of the Maulana Fazl and Awami National Party provincial president Aimal Wali Khan.
JUI-F spokesperson Aslam Ghori condemned the attack, describing it as a cowardly act. Ghori expressed frustration over what he perceives as a lack of concrete action by the administration despite repeated warnings about the threats faced by the party’s leadership.
“We have repeatedly warned that the situation is not favourable for our leadership,” Ghori stated in a press release. He criticized the administration for writing threat letters daily without taking effective measures.
Ghori urged an immediate investigation into the incident, questioning the institutions responsible for ensuring the safety of political figures.
Furthermore, Ghori highlighted the deteriorating law and order situation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, expressing concerns about the escalating security challenges faced by political leaders in the wake of general elections, scheduled for February 8.
Meanwhile, the Interior Secretary has taken notice of the incident of the firing on the convoy of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F) head Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and sought a detailed report. According to the spokesperson for the Interior Minister, “Malevolent forces will not be permitted to sow chaos and disorder in the country.” The spokesperson conveyed this message through an official statement from the minister’s office. Moreover, the spokesperson emphasized that all necessary measures will be implemented to guarantee the peace and safety of the public.
