KARACHI, Sept 19: The visitors of book bazaar, organized at Frere Hall on Sunday, faced problems as the police intensified security measures following the alleged threats of suicide bombing at the US interests.

Heavy police deployment was made at the 'palace police post' near Hotel Metropole to search and frisk the people visiting the weekly bazaar. The already closed Fatima Jinnah Road, where the US Consul General's residence is located, was heavily guarded and people were not allowed to drive to the Frere Hall.

Police forced almost every commuter, even physically disabled, to alight the vehicle at the check post. They were seen marching towards the Frere Hall from the police post.

People were asked to show their identity before entering the area. Police also collected identity cards of the visitors which were given back on their return. The process was stopped after intervention of a senior police official in the evening. However, the police remained frisking and inspecting identity of the people.

The nazim was out of the city and in his absence, the city government officials remained unable to influence the police to ease security measures for those visiting the book bazaar.

Police also issued precautions for security officials to note down the identity of the individuals, who wanted to proceed to the US consulate for visa-related interviews.

However, Capital City Police Officer Tariq Jamil told Dawn that some information in the precautionary directives list, issued by police, was 'misleading'. He said that visa process had already been halted in the US consulate. "The directive is not related to book bazaar neither it can be applied on visitors of the book bazaar," the CCPO claimed.

The police sources said that the police had issued some precautionary directives to its officials in view of an alleged threat of women suicide bombing. They said that women suicide bombers could target the US interests in Islamabad, Karachi or any other part of the country.

According to the precautionary directives, "All those women, who want to visit the US consulate for seeking visa would be frisked at Palace Chowki and not near the consulate. For the very purpose, a search point will be established at palace Chowki."

Under the directives, the pavement along the US consulate's wall has been banned for pedestrians. "All vehicles using Abdullah Haroon Road and carrying veiled (burqa-posh) women will be stopped at Hoshang Chowk and Metropole. All female occupants of such vehicles will be frisked by lady search officials", according to the directives issued to the officials.

Police were directed to prepare record of every individual visiting the consulate including his/her name, father's name, residential address, and phone numbers. Besides, no visitor would be allowed to carry bag or parcel inside the consulate. A shift in-charge officer would again search the vehicle when it would proceed to the US consulate, added the directives list.