ISLAMABAD: In view of an upsurge in terrorist attacks, the government has decided to deploy Frontier Constabulary personnel at major power sector facilities across the country under a phased programme to protect electricity transmission and dispatch systems.

The ministries of water and power and interior have agreed to immediately post about 450 soldiers of FC at 15 grid stations of 220kv and 500kv capacity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and south Punjab.

The decision was taken at a meeting between Minister for Water and Power Dr Musadik Malik and Interior Minister Malik Habibullah Khan in the aftermath of rocket attacks on the Sheikh Muhammadi grid station near Peshawar which left seven people dead, a senior official told Dawn.

The power ministry has sought deployment of about 25 personnel at 220kv grid stations and 30 personnel at 500kv grid stations. The ministry will pay the salary of the personnel and bear expenses of deployment.

The official said that power companies had been asked to identify sensitive installations and suggest security arrangements for increased vigilance, intelligence and protection.

He said terrorist attacks had taken place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Mianwali in Punjab in recent months.

Wapda’s own security personnel were deployed at major installations but they were not well-trained and equipped to deal with major terror attacks.

Caretaker Minister for Water and Power Dr Musadik Malik confirmed at a ceremony for distribution of cheques and appointment letters among families of the people killed in rocket attacks on the Sheikh Muhammadi grid station early this month that FC would be deployed there.

He said a comprehensive security plan was being evolved to ensure security of employees and sensitive installations in vulnerable areas in different parts of the country.

Four employees of the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) and three policemen lost their lives on April 1 when seven rockets were fired on the Mohammadi grid station. Cheques for Rs1.5 million and appointment letters for the family of each deceased were distributed.

The families of the deceased policemen were given Rs500,000 each as compensation.

Mr Malik said it was the responsibility of the government to protect life and property of the people and all possible resources would be utilised for the purpose. He said provincial governments had also been asked to take measures for protection of employees of grid stations and power installations and provide additional financial help to affected families.