November 19, 2001	Monday	Ramazan 3, 1422

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 18: Anthrax scare has hit the General Headquarters (GHQ) of Pakistan Army, putting handling of “secret” and “top secret” mail into jeopardy.

According to sources, the GHQ issued a special Standing Operational Procedure (SOP), SRI No.154/2001, for dealing with suspicious mail directing “senior officers not to open the mail.”

Sources said that the SOP was issued fearing sabotage activity.

“Instances of Anthrax spores being delivered in envelopes in the form of powder have been reported,” the SOP issued by the GHQ chief administrative officer said.

“Recently, germs of disease Anthrax are being mailed through envelopes as sabotage action in different parts of the world. Similar activity has been reported in Pakistan,” Army Medical Directorate’s note sent to the GHQ warned.

Expressing concern over handling of “secret” and “top secret” mail, sources said that the SOP did not deal with such cases. “This brings into question who will be responsible for any breach of security on handling mail marked for the senior officers when they have been asked not to open the mail,” a source said.

When contacted for information about the anthrax scare and handling of mail in the GHQ, Inter Services Public Relations Director General Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi said “Is this item newsworthy?” “Nobody can tell you whether the senior officers will be handling the mail or not,” he said.

According to a copy of the SOP obtained by Dawn, instructions have been issued to employ specifically earmarked persons on mail handling duties, advising senior officers not to open the mail. Moreover, the army officers have been asked, where feasible, to use telephone and fax instead of conventional mail.