ISLAMABAD, Oct 13: Earlier in the week, Interior Minister Senator Rehman Malik had announced that the boundaries of Red Zone would be extended to improve security, but as the week rolled to an end security officials remained unconvinced of the effectiveness of his plans.
On October 9, while chairing a meeting to review law and order in the capital, Mr Malik had directed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Bani Amin Khan and city administration to enhance security measures for the Red Zone.
He had said that the Red Zone be extended with immediate effect from the western side from Ataturk Avenue-5 to Ataturk Avenue-6, commonly known as Embassy Road.
A senior police officer on the condition of anonymity told Dawn, “The threats from militants to target Red Zone and five star hotels, particularly Serena Hotel on Khayaban-i-Suharwardy and Marriott on Embassy Road, have increased sharply.”
The extension would move the security barriers 100 metres away from the hotels where dignitaries and foreigners frequently stay, the officer added. Since November 2010, no one can enter the Red Zone without showing their CNIC.
On the other hand, some officials of the police and administration voiced their dissatisfaction over the change as they claimed that the extension of the Red Zone only includes the green belt between the Ataturk Avenue-5 and Ataturk-6, and is counterproductive.
They also heap criticism on the interior minister for habitually passing blanket statements, and elaborated, “A large portion of the green belt is currently used as a parking lot for government offices and a five star hotel in F-5. There are also some dirt tracks used to cross sectors F and G by motorcyclists. Besides, there is a mosque, barrack and nullah.”
For the time being though, “in the absence of a written order to the police and the city administration, we are still following the old security plan,” another police officer stated.
“Some new pickets would need to be set up at Margalla Road and Aga Khan Road in F-6/3, and Suhrawardy Road in G-6/4. At least 30 police personnel, a dozen road blocks and few iron barricades and three cabins are required,” he added.
Previous plan to upgrade security for the Red Zone:
Since the suicide bombing attack on Marriott Hotel on September 20, 2008, some security plans for Red Zone were prepared but could not be implemented due to shortage of funds.
In October 2008, a plan was made to isolate Red Zone, similar to the Diplomatic Enclave, by constructing a boundary wall all around at an estimated cost of Rs2 billion. Besides, a special force was also suggested to make an inner and outer cordon.
In May 2009, the city police decided to issue about 20,000 special tagged Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) stickers to motorists, who regularly enter the zone, which carry security futures and details of vehicles and its owners.
In December 2009, the city administration and Capital Development Authority finalised a Project Concept (PC-1) for security of Red Zone in which the area would be fenced along with installation of gates, CCTVs, metal and explosive detectors, scanners, walk-through gates and control and guard rooms.
The 21 entrances to Red Zone were to be reduced to 10-12 by permanently closing roads.
In April 2010, the capital police issued a security plan in which the entire urban and some rural areas were declared high security zone to provide maximum safety to all sensitive local and foreign installations scattered in the city.
According to the plan, the high security zone - Third Avenue to Ninth Avenue and Margalla Road to Khyaban-i-Suhrawardy - was extended to Satra Meel Bhara Kahu to sector G-13, Fatehjhang Road and Margalla Hills to Rawat Toll Plaza.
In December 2010, installation of security cameras at 25 checkpoints to monitor the high security zone was finalised and a project concept was also prepared. At that time, the cost of a camera was Rs44,000 but a company was ready to sell it against Rs30,000 to the police.