RAWALPINDI, Feb 22: The district administration has directed the managements of all public and private bus terminals to ensure foolproof security and install close-circuit cameras following intelligence reports that bus stands could be major targets of suicide attacks.

Official sources told Dawn that secretary Regional Transport Authority (RTA) Tariq Chaudhry on Thursday visited all the bus terminals in the city and issued the directives to their managements.

The RTA official had been directed by the District Coordination Officer (DCO) of Rawalpindi, Irfan Elahi and secretary Provincial Transport Authority (PTA) Agha Nadeem to make arrangements for ensuring security and watching the activities of anti-social elements in the bus terminals.

The managements of RTA-run Pirwadhai general and 13 D-class private bus stands have been asked to set up operation rooms at the terminals and provide metal detectors to the security guards for checking the passengers.

When contacted, the RTA secretary confirmed that the move was aimed at providing security to the passengers and keeping an eye on the activities of criminals.

He said the operators of private bus stands had been asked to appoint armed security guards at the stations, otherwise their licences would be forfeited.

Mr Chaudhry said the transporters union had assured him of their cooperation, adding that they had been asked to use the public address system at the bus terminals to warn about the presence of any suspected person.

The official said security measures at the bus stands were unsatisfactory, adding that there were no security guards to check passengers.

He said commuters at the bus stands would be monitored from enclosed points, adding that emergency numbers had also been displayed at the terminals.