Pakistan: Banned outfit TTP demands Rs 8 mn in 'extortion' from KP minister Atif Khan

Peshawar [Pakistan], October 20 : The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Wednesday in a letter to Senior Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister Atif Khan demanded Rs 8 million in extortion from him.
KP Minister Atif Khan while conforming about the issuance of the letter said that he has informed security agencies about the letter, reported Geo News.
Speaking to journalists, Atif said that he has shared the letter with the relevant officials.
"We will take whatever action [needed] on the letter. Security agencies have been informed rest is up to them," said the minister.
Meanwhile, sources within TTP have confirmed the issuance of the letter by their Mardan chapter. The letter comes after reports of TTP's resurgence in the KP, reported Geo News.
Later, the outlawed group rejected the reports that it had sent the letter to the minister, saying that it was "fake".
Recently a terror attack also took place in Swat on a school van that killed a van driver. Following the incident, the National Security Committee (NSC) took stock of the security situation in the country, reported Geo News.
Protest across various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa erupted after the van driver was shot dead and two schoolchildren injured in a targeted attack in the Gulibagh area of Charbagh tehsil.
Thousands rallied in Mingora, Haripur, and Battagram in solidarity with the people of Swat, reported Dawn.
Meanwhile, in the meeting, officials of the country's security apparatus gave a briefing on the security situation -- in light of the recent terrorist activities.
The meeting made it clear that the blood of every citizen is precious and noted that the law will strictly deal with those involved in the bloodshed of innocents, reported Geo News.
"Our citizens rendered unprecedented sacrifices along with the armed forces and played a historic role in the war against terrorism," read a statement.
The forum decided to constitute an apex committee headed by PM Shehbaz Sharif and revive the National Counter-terrorism Authority (NACTA), which will work in collaboration with the provincial-level counter-terrorism departments to prevent any resurgence of terrorism in the country, reported Geo News.
Notably, the school van attack sparked anger and protests across the district, after which students and teachers of private schools joined hands with the civil society and staged a protest at Nishat Chowk.
Earlier, the driver's family and fellow villagers had placed his body on the main road and staged a sit-in at Gulibagh, demanding the arrest of the culprits, reported Dawn.
Former Senate chairman, Raza Rabbani condemned the recent terrorist attack on a school van in Swat and equated the incident with the deadly attack against Army Public School students in Peshawar, reported The News International.
Rabbani asked if the state was waiting for a repeat of the APS tragedy. "The people of Swat and the adjoining areas have been demonstrating on the streets against the armed groups on the mountain tops. The state has responded by registering cases under the Terrorist Act," he said.
On December 16, 2014, six terrorists affiliated with the TTP attacked the Army Public School in the northwestern city of Peshawar. 147 people, including 132 children, were killed in the attack.