11 September 2004	Saturday	25 Rajab 1425

KARACHI, Sept 10: With law-enforcement agencies placed on a high alert for an indefinite period on the occasion of the anniversary of 9/11 tragedy, and preparations under way for the defence exhibition starting September 14 , sufferings of ordinary citizens were compounded by snap-checking and unannounced road blockades in different parts of the city.

While residents of Gulshan-i-Iqbal had already been feeling the weight of armoury, meant for the defence exhibition at the Expo Centre, the extraordinary security measures adopted to avert any untoward incident on the 9/11 anniversary, added to their miseries as the drill by uniformed and other security agencies caused serious traffic jams at Hasan Square.

As part of the measures, sharp-shooters had taken up position on the rooftops of the apartment blocks surrounding the exhibition venue. People have been barred from getting into the balconies of these buildings for any purpose.

Similarly, traders having their shops, eating houses and other outlets on the University Road in Block-13-D have been advised to close their business earlier than usual timing.

A shopkeeper requesting anonymity told Dawn that he and certain other shopkeepers had been told not to place chairs on the pavementsat the time the exhibition would be kicked off. However, a senior police official said that eating houses along the University Road would not be forced to close. A motorist, irked by the attitude of the Rangers personnel conducting snap-checking, said that besides checking the vehicles, they resorted to body search, and also asked for driving licence, etc.

In order to facilitate the movement of the heavy armoury to the venue, speed-breakers along the Habib Rehmatullah Road (Karsaz) have been removed. Certain sections of the Sharea Faisal will be closed in the late hours of the Saturday-Sunday night when the armoury, including aircraft, would be on their way to the Expo Centre.

"We fully realize the inconvenience being faced by the people, but may not take any risk as we are faced with security threats," Capital City Police Officer Tariq Jamil told Dawn, adding that advance information would be given to commuters in case of traffic diversion.

A senior police officials said that intelligence reports had suggested that terrorist attacks might take place on Sept 11, the third anniversary of the World Trade Centre, New York, incident.

Police have been using sniffer dogs in snap-checking at sensitive points - around the US consulate on Abdullah Haroon Road and the Expo Centre. Delegates of the defence exhibition Ideas 2004 would start arriving in the city on Saturday, said senior police officials.

According to the CCPO, leaves of police officials had been cancelled so that full deployment and mobilization of the force on the occasion could be ensured. In addition to the regular police, those under training at different centres would be included in the deployment, he said.

He said that mobility of police personnel in certain areas suspected to have terrorists' hideouts would be increased. Raids would also be conducted upon specific/general information in such areas, he added without being particular.

Mr Jamil said that the coordination between police, Rangers and intelligence agencies would be improved. Security at city-based foreign interests, including restaurants, was also beefed up. Deployment of law-enforcement agencies' personnel at public places, government offices and important buildings had been increased to meet any eventuality.

According to sources, trained commandos had been deployed at highly sensitive places, including foreign missions and residences of foreign dignitaries, multinational companies and important installations.

The TPO of SITE has been assigned the task of supervising the security cover provided to the foreign missions and five-star hotels. The other places covered under the extraordinary security plan included the airport, railway stations, entry/exit points of the city, shopping centres and commercial/trade centres.