RAWALPINDI: A mock terror attack was carried out in ten educational institutions across the city by the city police, Elite Force and some volunteers on Thursday to check if they were prepared for a real life terror attack.

The exercise was also meant to check response time of the police, ambulance services and the quick response forces and to gauge how they will deal with a real terror attack.

The police said the exercise was designed to test the coordination between a number of agencies, to see how they work together in dangerous situations.

Though drills could not be carried out in some parts of the city, mock exercises were held at the Government Degree College for woman in New Town, Asif Public School in Al-Noor Colony, Waqarun-Nisa College in Waris Khan, Faizul Islam school on Murree Road, Government Supplementary in F-Block, Mohanpura College in Gunjmandi and Government Middle School 7 in Wah Cantonment.

Regional Police Officer (RPO) Mohammad Wisal Fakhar Sultan Raja said he was satisfied with the time it took for emergency services to reach Waqarun Nisa Women’s College on Tipu Road after Wednesday’s false alarm.

“Law enforcement agencies, including the police, are now better prepared for dealing with emergency situations than before. Wednesday’s false alarm was like a mock drill”, the RPO said.

Details of the drill were not make public to prevent panic and the emergency service 1122 was not part of the exercise.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2016