May 16, 2007	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 28, 1428

ISLAMABAD, May 15: Tight security measures have been adopted in the federal capital and its neighbouring city of Rawalpindi after a spate of weekend attacks in Karachi and Tuesday’s suicide bombing in Peshawar that killed more that 65 people, it has been learnt.

Senior officials of the district administration, interior ministry and police held a series of meetings in Islamabad immediately after the Peshawar blast to review the security situation in the capital city.

The Islamabad Capital Territory police posted at entry and exit points of Islamabad were altered and directed to keep an eye on suspected elements. The capital has 21 major and 42 minor entry and exit points.

Sources told Dawn that a number of pickets were being established on different roads to check suspected vehicles and people. The checkpoints, which are usually established inside the city in such situations, this time will not be set up permanently and will be relocated after every 15-20 minutes.

Personnel of the law enforcement agencies have been asked to start round the clock patrolling and a number of cars and motorcycles have been spared for this duty.

More than 5,000 personnel of police, anti-terrorist squad, elite force and paramilitary troops had been deployed at government and foreign installations along with public places of the federal capital.

Security around the markets, shopping centres, educational institutions, bus stops, offices, foreign missions, and mosques and imambargahs had been enhanced due to the high alert.

Section 144, which has already been imposed in Islamabad, will be strictly enforced and gathering of more than five persons at a place will not be allowed during the high alert.

Sources said red alert was declared around the Diplomatic Enclave and number of security personnel at all the pickets there had been doubled.

Security personnel are also patrolling the adjacent forest and hills while the special anti-terrorist squad is ensuring complete security in and around the Diplomatic Enclave.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Security) Dr Naeem Khan, when contacted, said: “We are in the state of high vigilance and taking special security measures to secure the Diplomatic Enclave and Red Zone area.”

Sources told Dawn that the capital administration had put the local state-run hospitals, civil defence department, bomb disposal squad and the fire brigade on high alert in the wake of reports that terrorists might strike in the city.

The ICT administration asked the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, the Federal Government Services Hospital and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) hospital to take special measures to meet any emergency situation in Islamabad.

On receiving the guidelines, special arrangements have been made in these hospital where doctors and paramedics are now on standby. The hospital administrations have also asked the blood banks to arrange blood of different groups.

Meanwhile, as part of the tightened security the authorities also deployed security personnel at all sensitive places and started random checking of guests staying in hotels to avoid any untoward situation.

The steps were taken after reports by the intelligence agencies that “hidden hands have made Pakistan a target of their activities to create chaos in the country,” the sources said.