Security in Islamabad tightened following Balochistan terrorist attacks

Islamabad: The Interior Ministry has sought details of the strength of the Rangers with their deployments and locations to utilise the force for counter-terrorism after the act of terrorism in Balochistan the previous day.

Islamabad Police have vigorously tightened the Security of the Diplomatic Enclave and the other sensitive installations, government buildings, Parliament House, PTV, Pak Secretariat, and Supreme Court of Pakistan by deploying extra forces of police commandos, Rangers and Paramilitary Forces, the sources sitting in the relevant corners of the ministry of interior.

Joint forces of law enforcement agencies have been positioned around the federal capital as first-tier protect the capital city in the perspective of attack like Balochistan by the terrorist outfits, people responsible for the security, told ‘The News’ after a high-level meeting chaired by the inspector general of the Islamabad police.

“The possible terrorism will be countered through hidden and visible security,” the sources said, a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy has been put in practice and high-level targets have been secured and thoroughly protected.

The sources said that it has been decided in a meeting to protect the federal capital by positioning the security in different layers.

Rangers have already been deployed at sensitive installations in Red Zone while police will be positioned around the Red Zone as the second tier of security and the other layers of the security ring is marked as populated as well as the residential area of Islamabad and the Rangers have been placed with police at the second loop, the sources maintained.

The police force with the anti-terrorist force would be holding the outermost circle of the security that was considered as the most vital, vulnerable, and sensitive position of the security, the police sources said, adding that plain-clothed personnel of civil and military spy agencies will keep eyes on activities of suspicious people. Police will be solely responsible for the overall security, the security conniver of the ICT police maintained, adding, and “Around 1,000 personnel of law enforcement agencies have been added in the security squad.”

Over 50 temporary pickets and checking points have been set up in and around the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad to intercept the terrorist outfits, the sources said adding that as many as 75 entry points of the federal capital have been strongly sealed and police forces have been deployed to combat any attempt of the terrorists to sneak into the city.

Earlier, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad, Ehsan Younas, chaired a high-level meeting to review the overall security situation of the federal capital. The IGP ordered tightening the security in the federal capital after the terrorism episode in Balochistan.

The IGP directed all zonal SPs to be cautiously alert and to set up security plans according to the required security situation of their respective areas and asked to enhance patrolling. The IGP directed the Zonal police officers for strict checking at all entry and exit points of the city.

“Be vigilant and keep eye on the suspicious people roaming around sensitive installations,” he advised the officers, adding, “The law enforcement agencies are kit out and ready to counter any attempt of terrorism,” he concluded.