Pakistan’s Intelligence Bureau has warned that ISKP plans to kidnap foreigners, especially Chinese and Arab nationals, attending the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The group is reportedly conducting surveillance at key locations.
Pakistan’s Intelligence Bureau has sounded an alert regarding a possible threat from the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), which is said to be planning to abduct foreigners visiting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 for ransom. The terror group is said to be targeting Chinese and Arab nationals specifically, keeping watch at ports, airports, offices, and residential areas commonly used by visitors from these nations.
ISKP operatives are said to be planning to lease buildings on the outskirts of cities as safe houses, carefully selecting places that have no camera surveillance and are only reachable on rickshaws or motorcycles, according to intelligence reports. Kidnapped persons will be transported between safe houses during nighttime to avoid security forces, the group plans.
The warning follows Pakistan’s increasing worries regarding its capacity to host large-scale international events. Previously, the nation has been blamed for underreporting attacks on foreign citizens. Such incidents as the 2024 Chinese engineers attack in Shangla and the 2009 Sri Lankan cricket team attack in Lahore have overshadowed its security readiness.
Afghanistan’s intelligence division (GDI) has meanwhile warned authorities to expect potential ISKP attacks at strategic sites as well as increased efforts in monitoring missing handlers affiliated with the group.
In 2024, ISKP-linked Al Azaim Media published a 19-minute video asserting that cricket is a Western intellectual warfare tool against Muslims. The group claimed that the sport encourages nationalism and propaganda, which is against the jihadist ideology of Islam. They also condemned the Taliban for backing the Afghanistan cricket team.
