PESHAWAR, Nov 6: The NWFP education department has directed the administrations of all colleges to take extra security measures to ward off any activity of sabotage in and around their institutions.

Reliable sources told Dawn that the education department had alerted the all colleges to remain vigilant during the next three weeks, from Nov 19 to 10 Dec, which was being termed as ‘dangerous’ period.

“The exact nature of the danger has not been revealed, but sabotage is being feared,” sources added.

Soon after the US attacks on Afghanistan, various private and public establishments had taken tough security measures to avoid any disastrous act. The police had also been put on high alert. But the education ministry’s warnings of the lurking danger was an odd one.

On Oct 8, the government had closed all colleges and universities apparently to keep the student community away from the anti-US protests being organized by religious groups. The police were also directed to be watchful of any trouble in their areas and deal with it firmly.