PESHAWAR: Security was put on high alert in the cantonment area and vehicular traffic was diverted to other roads after authorities got reports about entry of a would-be suicide bomber in Peshawar, sources said.

The busy Sher Shah Suri Road remained closed to vehicular traffic for the third consecutive days on Wednesday owing to threats to the headquarters of Frontier Constabulary.

The adjacent markets and workshops of the auto-mechanics also remained closed and armoured personnel carriers were seen parked on the main thoroughfare. A signboard displayed at a nearby filling station said that sale was stopped.

The traffic coming from city side was diverted to Saddar Road at FC Chowk. It is the second main road, which has been closed to public transport vehicles, after the diversion of traffic from Khyber Road to Sher Shah Suri Road. In the past, mini-buses and wagons used to ply on Khyber Road but these were diverted to other roads some two years ago owing to security reasons.

According to officials, the traffic from Khyber Road was diverted when a blast occurred on the premises of Pearl Continental Hotel. The government could not take the risk again because houses of civil and military officials and building of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Peshawar High Court, Corps Commander House and Civil Secretariat were located on the road, they added.

The officials said there were reports that a would-be suicide bomber had entered Peshawar and his possible target was the FC headquarters.A portion of Sher Shah Suri Road was also closed. Owing to closure of the road, commuters faced great difficulties as traffic remained clogged on the new route, Saddar Road.

Police and FC personnel were alerted on the entry and exit points to foil any possible sabotage attempt and keep vigilance on the movement of suspected people. Barbed wire was also erected outside the markets and Dil Jan Khan Plaza. The pedestrians were not allowed to move in the area.

SSP Najeebur Rehman, when contacted, said that the FC headquarters had a specific threat from terrorists and the road was closed in a state of compulsion to avert any possible sabotage attempt.

He said that opening of the road meant taking risk. The road was closed temporarily as it was very sensitive area, he added. “Terrorists can desperately attack it to prove that they can also hit anyone in the well guarded area,” he said.

The SSP said that the security situation was regularly reviewed and the road would be reopened to traffic after a few days. “All such steps are taken for the security of people,” he said and added that public should also extend cooperation to the law enforcement agencies.

About security situation on the outskirts of Peshawar, the official said that police were fully alert and keeping vigilance on movement of suspected people. He said that the policemen, who were killed in the darkness of night, proved that police patrolled the rural areas boldly despite threats.

The terrorists, Mr Rehman, said had the advantage that tribal regions were very close to Peshawar and they could easily flee to their hideouts after committing crimes in the settled areas.