KARACHI, March 18: The officials of the US Consulate in Karachi asked the police to provide extra security during the imminent US invasion on Iraq amid fear of attacks on US interests in the city, well-placed sources told Dawn on Tuesday.

According to the sources, the US officials approached the provincial government and senior police officials to tell them that the US interests in the city were under threat and, therefore, security around the consulate building, consul general’s residence and certain other US installations, institutions and other facilities in the city be beefed up.

One of the senior police officials, however, denied having received any ‘written’ request from the US officials but said: “in case of US-Iraq war, we would be beefing up the security to the US interests in Karachi.”

Another senior police official confirmed his meeting with some US officials who sought protective measures against possible terrorist attacks on US interests. The sources pointed out that stringent security at certain city based US restaurants, banks and other facilities had already been planned.

The sources revealed that police were also considering to cordon off Abdullah Haroon Road and Fatima Jinnah Road housing the US consulate and the US consul general’s residence if war broke out.