ISLAMABAD, Dec 30: All seminaries in Islamabad would remain under strict vigilance of the intelligence agencies during the Saarc Summit, Chief Commissioner Junaid Iqbal and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Fayyaz Ahmed Toru told reporters at a press conference here on Tuesday.
The press conference was also attended by Deputy Commissioner Tariq Mehmood Pirzada and other senior officials of the ICT administration.
They said the intelligence agencies including the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI), Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Special Branch of police would keep a vigilant eye on the seminaries and their activists. “The activists of banned religious groups and the common man would not be given the same treatment,” they added.
Both the officials said over 12,000 army personnel, paramilitary troops and personnel of law-enforcement agencies had been deployed in Islamabad to ensure foolproof security to the delegates during the summit. “Such a huge contingent of security forces has been deployed for the first time in the capital,” the chief commissioner said.
Both the high-ranking officials said the government had released a sum of Rs180 million to various departments for Saarc Summit arrangements. They said troops, policemen and personnel of other law-enforcement agencies had been asked to be polite, courteous and firm while performing their duties.
Of 12,000 deployed force, 2,000 are rangers, 3,000 Punjab Constabulary personnel and 7,000 policemen of Islamabad police, the IG said.
He said all registered and unregistered Afghan, Kurd and Iraqi refugees in Islamabad had been directed to remain within their specified places and settlements and avoid proceeding towards other areas.
“According to our information about 53,000 Afghan nationals are residing in Islamabad and they would not be allowed to leave the capital during the summit for security reasons,” he said.
In this connection a drive against beggary has been kicked off and action is being taken against all Afghan and other nationals involved in the business.
The IG said the army personnel had been deployed at Margalla hills and the 10-kilometre-long strip of I.J. Principal Road where 23 pickets had been established.
The chief commissioner said Islamabad would not be sealed off as such and people would be allowed to enter and leave the capital as normal routine. However, they will have to face strict checking at 150 entry points, he added.
He said the area from Marriott Hotel to Serena Hotel on Constitutional Avenue had been declared “Red Zone” and that area would be prohibited for general public during the Summit. The official said close-circuit TV cameras had been installed in the “Red Zone” and those having special cards would be allowed entry into the zone.
Mr Iqbal said a special plan had been made for the access of those living beyond the “Red Zone” to other cities areas. “These people would be allowed to cross the zone where there would be no movement of the participants of the summit,” he said.
He agreed to a questioner that the residents of Islamabad would have to face hardships during the summit days. “We have to pay the price of holding an international event and to ensure security of our guests,” he added.
Deputy Commissioner Tariq Mehmood Pirzada and another official of the ICT administration said the government had distributed Rs180 million among various departments for the Saarc arrangements.
Islamabad police have received Rs110 million, Capital Development Authority (CDA) Rs30 million, foreign office Rs35 million and Press Information Department Rs5 million, they said.