On Friday, a hand grenade was thrown into the male guesthouse of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Pir Muhammad Aslam’s house in Nowshera district’s Risalpur, resulting in partial damage to the property. The incident was allegedly carried out by a militant associated with a proscribed outfit.
Aslam reported to the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station that he had received an extortion letter from the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on July 1, demanding Rs10 million. The TTP threatened him with serious consequences if the money was not paid. Following the extortion letter, Aslam claimed to have received phone calls from numbers in neighboring Afghanistan, demanding the payment of the extortion money.
After he could not arrange the money, Aslam said that on Wednesday night, militants threw a hand grenade at his house, causing partial damage to the property. Fortunately, Aslam and his family members were unharmed in the incident.
The CTD registered a case and began an investigation into the matter. They released CCTV footage showing a man hurling the grenade into the house and then fleeing the scene.
This is not the first time reports of extortion from TTP have emerged. In the past, there have been incidents of the outfit demanding money from various individuals, including senior politicians.
The TTP is known for its involvement in extortion activities and has also escalated its attacks against the military since ending the ceasefire with Pakistan in November of the previous year.