PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD: The banned militant outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban has sent a letter to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Science and Technology Minister Atif Khan, seeking Rs8 million extortion money from him. If Atif Khan did not pay the money, TTP militants can kill him.
The TTP’s letter to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s minister Atif Khan surfaced on Wednesday and soon it became a talk of the town as it exposed the governance of the PTI which has been ruling the province for nine straight years. This development also exposed the penetration of the TTP in KP province.
“You know who we are and what we want. We know you very we and have all your data and records because you are on TTP Mardan’s wanted list and your turn has come,” the letter reads.
“Thus, you will have to either fulfil our demand to exit this list, or you will have to exit this world. Our demand is for Rs8m. We want an answer within three days.”
Talking to the media today, Atif Khan confirmed that the TTP’s letter. “The way ransom letters come normally … some people have received them,” he said.
KP’s science and technology minister said he had shared the letter with all security agencies and now the onus for taking action was on them.
KP government spokesperson Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif said that action would be taken against extortionists in accordance with the law.
Weary residents of Swat and Shangla have been protesting for weeks demanding terrorists be reined in after a slew of attacks has left them jittery.
Last month, an anti-Taliban peace committee member was among eight people killed after the vehicle he was travelling in was hit by a suicide blast in Swat. Last week, unidentified gunmen opened fire on a school van, killing the driver dead and injuring two children in the same district.
Earlier this month, a Gilgit-Baltistan minister and several other travellers were trapped for several hours after militants blocked Babusar Road near Thak Village of Chilas.
