January 18, 2006	Wednesday	Zilhaj 17, 1426

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QUETTA, Jan 17: All UN and foreign aid organizations on Tuesday suspended their operations in Balochistan after receiving anonymous threatening calls. The foreign and local staff of all UN organizations and NGOs have been asked to stay at home for at least two days, officials said.

Organizations which suspended their operations included UNHCR, Unicef, UNDP, UNFP, WHO, WFO and five foreign NGOs working in Balochistan.

“Offices of UN aid organizations and foreign NGOs did not open today and all foreign staff remained confined to their homes,” sources said. They said that offices of the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and an NGO in Quetta had received anonymous threatening calls on Monday evening via satellite phones.

Sources in the UNHCR confirmed that their office received a threat. Sources said that UNDP officials also received similar threat calls.

“Initially, operations of all UN organizations and NGOs will remain suspended for 48 hours,” sources in the UNHCR said. They said if the situation necessitated, the suspension could be extended. Previously, these organizations had suspended their operations in Balochistan for two months after receiving threatening calls in June 2004.

Meanwhile, the administration beefed up security measures in and around the offices UN and other aid organizations and residences of the all foreign staff.

“Access to roads leading towards the offices of UN aid organizations have been sealed by law-enforcement agencies,” officials said. They said unconcerned persons would not be allowed to enter these areas.