KARACHI, Jan 30: At lease 5,000 police officials would be deployed for the stepped up security for foreign dignitaries and guests attending the first ever international exhibition in the city - Expo Pakistan 2005 - starting February 2.

The vicinity around the Expo Centre in Gulshan-i-Iqbal would be sealed off for security reasons. Residents of the apartments facing the Expo Centre would be the hardest-hit as they would not be allowed to use their balconies and entertain their guests at their homes.

The police would impose a ban on the movement of those not living in the apartments around the Expo Centre and the residents have already been directed not to invite any guests to their homes till the exhibition was over, police sources said.

Dignitaries from at least 80 countries would be attending the five-day exhibition. "I would direct the SHOs concerned to allow the occupants of these apartments to at least hang their wet clothes in their balconies to get them dried," city police chief Tariq Jamil said.

He said that a survey of the apartments overlooking the Expo Centre along University Road and Sir Shah Mohammad Suleiman Road had been conducted and the information about their occupants obtained. This was all for security reasons as the police were assigned to ensure a foolproof security for the mega event.

He said the security arrangements would be taken on the pattern of that made for the defence exhibition. "We will deploy at least 5,000 police officials, in addition to the 2,000 Rangers personnel who would be in the field in aid to the police", Mr Jamil added.

He said that the police would provide security to almost 100 foreign dignitaries with the status of 'state guest'. "We have to give them security in accordance with the rules of protection of foreign dignitaries", he added.

Besides, he said, nearly 1,000 foreign guests would be expected to visit the exhibition and the responsibility to ensure their security was also on the police. "We have planned a three-layer security system - first would be placed at the airport, second around the Expo Centre and the third at and around the five star hotels in the city.

We will install surveillance cameras at all the three spots and also along the routes from airport to the hotels and the hotels to the Expo Centre. A helicopter would be used for aerial surveillance," he added.

He said that a traffic plan was also devised as the police would have to close different roads for security purpose. The DIG operations and the DIG Traffic would announce the traffic plan for the information of motorists on alternative routes.

He said that during the movement of the VVIPs on Sharea Faisal and other arteries, several roads, including Sharea Faisal and Sir Shah Mohammad Suleiman Road, would remain closed for other traffic. The people would be advised to take alternative routes, he added.