ISLAMABAD, Oct 16: The government has asked all the important public institutions, mainly in the communications and energy sectors, to be vigilant about their stocks and supplies in view of the possible US attack on Iraq.

The relevant federal secretaries have been asked to go through their respective ‘war books’ and prepare their demand and supply position to cover areas like sufficient stocks of essential commodities, machinery, equipment and spares, official sources told Dawn.

The directive has come on the recommendations of the Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet which met last week to review availability and stock position of important commodities, a senior government official said.

Accordingly, heads of Pakistan Railways, Sui Southern Gas Company, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines, Pakistan State Oil, Water and Power Development Authority, Karachi Electric Supply Corporation and Pakistan International Airlines to firm up their stock position to the maximum as a precaution to meet any eventuality in case of a US attack on Baghdad.

These authorities have been asked to maintain sufficient stocks of commodities, spares, machinery and equipment, keeping in mind the short- and long-term requirements.

A senior official said that no contingency plan was being prepared as such because there was no emergency situation at the moment. However, the government has to put on alert its important institutions as a standard operating drill even if there were minor threats of events that could affect Pakistan.

The petroleum ministry has asked director generals of oil and gas to review spares, supplies and stocks situation on a weekly basis.

There is nothing to worry about stocks and supplies since Pakistan has been very vigilant and has been continuously beefing up such arrangements since 9/11 last year, a senior government official said.

“We have to concentrate mainly on maintaining sufficient stocks primarily of oil, spare parts and equipment for electricity and gas companies,” the official added.

Separate meetings are taking place in various ministries to ensure spare parts’ availability and other requirements of the state-owned strategic companies like PTCL, Wapda, KESC, all the oil refineries, OGDCL, SSGCL, SNGPL, PPL, PSO, Pakistan Railways and PIA.

Even though Pakistan has no direct threat of attack from any side in case the situation gets out of hand in the Gulf, the war-like situations have their own dimensions and the relevant quarters have to stay vigilant, the official said.