14 November 2004	Sunday	01 Shawwal 1425

ISLAMABAD, Nov 13: The centre has directed the provincial governments to cancel the Eid holidays of the law-enforcement agencies personnel to maintain law and order and prevent any terrorist activity during Eid days , Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Sherpao told Dawn on Saturday.

The minister said Pakistan Rangers and Frontier Corps had been put at the disposal of provinces and they were being deployed according to the requirement. Pakistan Rangers had been deployed in many cities of Punjab and Sindh, while in Balochistan and NWFP the services of Frontier Corps were being acquired, he said.

Mr Sherpao said the provincial governments had assured the centre that the law-enforcement agencies personnel would remain on duty during Eid days.

The federal government has also directed deployment of police commandos and guards of private security agencies at all Eidgahs, mosques and Imambargahs.

Responding to a query, the interior minister said army would not be deployed in the cities but it would remain on the stand-by to meet any emergency.

He said the Islamabad district administration had prohibited holding of Eid prayers at open places to minimize the chances of any terrorist attack. He said the provincial governments were also considering banning holding of Eid prayers at open places.

Meanwhile, a source in the interior ministry said the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI) would assist the law-enforcement agencies in maintenance of peace by sharing intelligence information. He said the Eid holidays of Islamabad police had been cancelled.