Security of PHC, Judicial Complex, Central Prison beefed up

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC), Judicial Complex and Central Prison authorities on Friday tightened security after receiving information about possible terrorist attacks.
Official sources told The News that both the PHC and Judicial Complex Peshawar and the adjacent Central Prison Peshawar had received information from secret agencies that some terrorists in the guise of police carrying prisoners would enter one of the buildings to stage an attack.
After receiving the information, the security of the PHC and Judicial Complex was tightened. The sources said the deputy superintendent of police and station house officer of East Cantonment Police Station also visited the PHC and Judicial Complex for overseeing security arrangements.
Due to the threats, the Friday prayer was also cancelled in the main hall of the PHC. However, the judicial work in the courts continued as usual.The security was also tightened at the Central Prison Peshawar, which already was relatively better protected.
“We have been told by the officers that some terrorists would try to enter the prison in the guise of police escorting prisoners. We have been directed to allow prisoners and policemen to enter the prison only after thorough identification and verification process,” a prison cop said.
The authorities at the Central Prison Peshawar had already taken strict security measures to fend off any terrorist attack as the prison has frequently received information from the intelligence agencies about such threats.
A protective steel wall was also established around the premises of the prison and additional Elite Force personnel were called for beefing up its security.Presently, important prisoners including Dr Shakil Afridi, accused of assisting the CIA to track down Osama bin Laden through a fake vaccination campaign, and Tanzim Nifaz Shariat-i-Mohammadi (TNSM) Chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad, father-in-law of outlawed Tehreek Taliban Pakistan head Maulana Fazlullah, are imprisoned at the Central Prison Peshawar.