Pakistan warns of ISKP kidnapping threat at ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Pakistan’s Intelligence Bureau has raised alarms over a potential Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) plot to kidnap foreign nationals attending the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 for ransom. Intelligence reports indicate that Chinese and Arab visitors are the primary targets, with the terror group actively monitoring airports, ports, offices, and residential areas frequented by these nationals.

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ISKP’s tactics and security concerns

The terror outfit is believed to be renting properties on city outskirts as safe houses, avoiding areas with surveillance cameras. Reports suggest that operatives plan to move hostages under cover of night using rickshaws or motorcycles to evade detection.

This warning comes amid Pakistan’s ongoing security challenges. The country has faced criticism for underreporting attacks on foreign nationals, with incidents like the 2024 Shangla attack on Chinese engineers and the 2009 assault on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore raising doubts about its ability to secure major international events.

Afghanistan also on high alert

Afghanistan’s General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) has also warned of potential ISKP attacks on key locations, stepping up surveillance to track missing operatives.

ISKP’s hostility towards cricket

In 2024, ISKP-linked Al Azaim Media released a video denouncing cricket as a Western propaganda tool, opposing its promotion in Islamic nations.

Despite these concerns, Pakistan continues to host the Champions Trophy, though its team has struggled, losing to India and New Zealand in early matches.