September 10, 2008	Wednesday	Ramazan 09, 1429

KARACHI, Sept 9: The government has decided to build a security boundary wall around the oil terminal area in Keamari to prevent sabotage and oil theft incidents.

The executing agency for raising the security wall, which will cost Rs8 million, will be the Karachi Port Trust.

This decision was taken on Tuesday at a meeting held here at the Sindh Secretariat. Transport Secretary Rashid Alam, who is also holding the additional charge of home secretary, presided over the meeting attended by representatives of the KPT, oil companies and the oil tankers’ association.

In view of the growing threat of sabotage as fallout of the on-going operation against the extremists and Al Qaeda in the northern areas, the issue of safeguarding the oil terminal area has been under consideration for the last three years.

The meeting also decided that gates would be erected at the entry and exit points and security checkpoints set up around the wall besides beefing up security surveillance by deploying two mobiles for vigilance round the clock.

The oil terminal area in Keamari is quite sensitive as not only oil storage tanks but chemicals and molasses storage tanks are also situated there and oil is transported direct through pipelines to the refineries.