RAWALPINDI, Aug 31: Police have stepped up security of Adiala jail in the light of intelligence that Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is planning to attack it, Dawn has learnt.

A senior police officer who requested not to be named revealed that the federal government’s National Crisis Management Cell had warned that the TTP was planning to carry out Bannu-like terrorist attack on Adiala jail.

When contacted, Adiala jail Superintendent Malik Mushtaq confirmed that the jail was facing terror threat, but “we have taken all possible security measures to thwart any such attempt.”

The superintendent jail said: “Forty personnel from army’s counter terrorism wing (CTW) visited the central jail Adiala on Friday and patrolled the areas outside the jail.”

He further said that in addition to the army’s visit, the wing commanders of Pakistan Rangers also visited the area.

However, the jail authorities said they had made no request for air surveillance as the Rangers and Elite Force personnel have already been on high alert.

Several prisoners involved in high profile terrorism cases, including the Benazir Bhutto assassination case, Mumbai attack case, and the suspects arrested in connection with attempted murder of ex-president Pervez Musharraf and attack on GHQ are languishing in the over-crowded jail.