Lahore: Pakistan's Intelligence Bureau issued a warning about a potential threat from the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), which is reportedly planning to kidnap foreigners who will visit the country to attend the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 for ransom.
Pakistan are hosting the ICC tournaments for the first time since 1996 when they co-hosted the ODI World Cup with India and Sri Lanka. However, since his commencements, incidents like India's national anthem getting played instead of Australia's in Lahore or the infamous black cat who was wandering all over the ground during the Afghanistan vs South Africa game in Karachi. This has raised concern about Pakistan's ability to host such big events.
In the past, Pakistan has been accused of downplaying attacks on foreign nationals. Incidents such as the 2024 attack on Chinese engineers in Shangla and the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore have raised doubts about its security preparedness.
According to India Today's reports, ISKP operatives plan to rent their properties on the outskirts of cities which are only accessible only by rickshaw or motorcycle. They deliberately look for a place without camera surveillance and as safe houses to move kidnapped individuals under the cover of night to evade security forces.
The terrorist group is said to be targeting Chinese and Arab nationals who are conducting surveillance at ports, airports, offices, and residential areas which tourists from these countries frequently use.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan's intelligence agency (GDI) has also circulated a notice to their authorities about possible ISKP attacks on key locations and has stepped up efforts to track missing operatives linked to the group.
In 2024, ISKP-affiliated Al Azaim Media released a 19-minute long video saying cricket is a Western tool for intellectual warfare against Muslims. The group claimed that the sport promotes nationalism and propaganda, which is against Islam's jihadist ideology, criticising the Taliban for supporting the Afghanistan cricket team.
The 2017 winners lost their opening two matches, including a six-wicket defeat to India on February 23 and another loss to New Zealand and are on the verge of getting eliminated from the tournament. Pakistan's semi-final fate is dependent on Bangladesh's win against formidable New Zealand on Monday.
