November 17, 2006	Friday	Shawwal 24, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 16: Fool-proof security arrangements are being made besides beautification of the city ahead of three-day visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao who is due in the capital along with his delegation on November 23.

A security official told Dawn on Thursday that the Constitution Avenue would be declared the “Red Zone” to provide maximum security to the Chinese delegation.

The official said the area between Marriott and Serena hotels would become a “no go area” for general public on the conference day.

The Army, he said, would supervise the security arrangements for the event, and conduct aerial surveillance. Choppers will continue to fly all over Islamabad. Personnel of III-Brigade would be deployed in the Red Zone.

He said the security plan made last year for Saarc Conference would be followed on the occasion of Chinese president’s visit.

Meanwhile, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has been assigned the task of beautifying Islamabad and arranging a grand ceremony at the Jinnah Convention Centre where Chinese president will address Pakistani nation on November 24. He would be accompanied by President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

In this regard, CDA Chairman Kamran Lashari convened a meeting at the venue on Thursday and assigned different tasks to the officials of CDA, ICT administration and Foreign Office, Assistant Commissioner Islamabad Dr Ehtesham Maher told Dawn after attending the meeting.

The meeting was informed that both the CDA and the ICT administration would issue invitation cards to the guests for the function

“We are taking special security measures to avoid any untoward incident during the Chinese president’s visit,” Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Chaudhry Mohammad Ali said.

In this regard, he said, he had convened a meeting with the officials of security departments and chalked out a comprehensive plan for the protection of Chinese delegation.