No additional security step taken in Wah despite threat!

WAH CANTT: A detailed inspection and interviews by ‘The News’ on Monday in Wah Cantt, a small cantonment city 40 Km north of Islamabad, established that not a single new or additional security measure was taken despite an unbelievably huge security threat conveyed to the federal government about a suicide bombing plan on the gathering federal interior minister was supposed to address.

A huge cache of weapons and ammunition was recovered during the night between Sunday and Monday and even suicide jackets were recovered, according to official messages. Not only this, even two hard-core terrorists were also killed in an encounter early Monday morning and the whole media was informed about it. 

After all this, according to official spokesman of interior minister, a proper security threat alert was conveyed to Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar that the ceremony in connection with the Labour Day in which he was scheduled to address labourers working in Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF) Wah Cantt on May 1 would be attacked by a suicide bomber.

After issuance of the press release by the Interior Ministry, The News reached Wah Cantt to monitor the terrible situation created following confirmed security threats and so many incidents of recovery of weapons and suicide jackets and that of encounters in one single day. It was expected that media team would either not be allowed to enter the premises or would be thoroughly checked. It was also clear that there would be so many pickets and an unusual security screening system coupled with an atmosphere of fear all around. However, The News found no unusual thing at any point in the whole city. There was routine checking and formalities as one had to pass through on any ordinary day. There was no checking on many posts. The News team roamed here and there and talked to the people. The staff of POF started gathering in Aslam Market in the afternoon. They were to move towards the public meeting place some one kilometre away from the market where Chaudhry Nisar was to address them on Labour Day.

It was strange that the whole country was alarmed because of security situation in Wah Cantt while there was no problem whatsoever here in Wah and everything was normal. The News asked labourers and staff of POF whether they had been passed through any special or new security checks today and all of them denied in clearest words. “It’s normal and usual regarding security. We haven’t witnessed anything new while passing from security check points,” were the replies by almost everyone questioned by The News. The cars were not being stopped and checked on every check post at many points there was almost no checking. The News was not even stopped by five check posts out of total six though there was no special mark or sign on it.

During his speech to the labourers, Chaudhry Nisar also pointed out towards this security threat alert conveyed to him. However, it needed to be investigated as to why there were no special security arrangements despite so many serious and big incidents that took place in Wah Cantt on Sunday night and Monday morning.