ISLAMABAD: A high alert has been declared at Pims to deal with any untoward situation.

The hospital spokesman, Dr Wasim Khawaja, told Dawn: “The step was taken in view of an alert issued for Punjab by the inspector general of the provincial police.”

All necessary measures mentioned in the standard operating procedure (SOP) have been adopted, Dr Khawaja said.

Under a high alert, duties of doctors and paramedical staff are assigned and their leaves are cancelled.

Besides, the availability of all necessary medicines as well as stock of blood are ensured and ambulances are put on a standby.

A senior police officer said high alert or red alert was declared on a threat alert issued either by the capital administration or the interior ministry. So far no such alert has been issued for the capital, he added.

“Security measures in the capital are already on a state of high alert since long,” said the officer.

But senior police officers have been asked to review the security measures for important public places.

Police pickets at the entrance of the capital were strengthened and personnel asked to keep an eye on suspects and suspicious vehicles.

The alert issued by the IGP stated that according to intelligence, four TTP militants were planning to conduct an attack on an intelligence setup in Lahore and anywhere in Punjab, said the police officer.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2019