RAWALPINDI: Security in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad has been put on a ‘red alert’ as Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives on a two-day official visit on Monday.

Army, Rangers and police personnel have been deployed on the rooftops of buildings along the route of the visiting dignitary from the airport to the federal capital.

Besides, 10,000 police officials, including the Elite Force commandos, have been deployed in Rawalpindi.

“The security would be unprecedented because of the prevailing situation and the nature of the Chinese president’s visit,” said a senior security official. Heavy trucks and other vehicles coming to Rawalpindi-Islamabad from other cities would be stopped at different points on the G.T. Road and the motorway until 12 noon on Monday, he added.

The deployment of the army personnel in the first layer and Rangers and police in the second and third has been planned along the VVIP route. Similar deployment will also be made on the rooftops of the buildings along the route. The airport road will remain closed with its link roads sealed from 10am to 2pm.

Shoaib Khurram Janbaz, the city traffic officer, told Dawn that commuters would be directed to use alternative routes to reach their destinations in the twin cities.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2015

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