Gilgit Scouts to take control of Red Zone security

Gilgit Scouts are set to take control of the Red Zone security and VVIP personalities, while only seven entry points to Islamabad will remain open, where hi-tech explosive scanners will be installed shortly.
The deployment of Gilgit Scouts, Rangers and installation of scanners at entry points is part of the comprehensive security plan devised by Interior ministry in consultation with police and other law enforcement agencies, sources in Interior ministry told Business Recorder on Monday.
In first phase of the security plan Gilgit Scouts would be deployed in Red Zone starting from Dhokri Chowk to Margalla foothills, adjacent to Pakistan Secretariat, they said, adding that Rangers would be deployed at Margalla Hills to avert any possible intrusion of terrorists from that area.
They said that 500-member strong contingent of Gilgit Scouts will arrive in the capital next week, and as per first phase of the security plan, it will take control of Red Zone starting from Dhokri Chowk to Margalla foothills on backside of Pakistan Secretariat.
Gilgit Scouts will be responsible for security of Red Zone, including Presidency, Prime Minister House and Secretariat, Parliament, Supreme Court, Pak Secretariat, Parliament Lodges and various other sensitive government installations, besides Diplomatic enclave, VVIP personalities, Judges and Ministers' enclosures, they said.
The security of Margalla Hills will be handed over to Rangers, and they will be deployed on security posts previously constructed by Pakistan Army to guard Islamabad from this side, having links and easy approach to NWFP, particularly Mansehra, sources said, adding that Rangers will also be deployed in the city for security purpose, besides Islamabad Police.
They said that under the security plan, Government has decided to close all entry and exit points of the city except Golra Morr, IJP Road, Faizabad, Pirwadhai, Bara Kahu, Rewat. Small entry points (about eighty) will be blocked for any type of traffic, and rangers will be deployed on entry points, they added.
Under this comprehensive security plan, Hi tech explosive scanners will be installed at entry points, sources said, adding that summary for purchase of hi-tech explosive scanners was moved to ministry of Finance for approval, sources said, adding that it was decided that the scanners would be imported from France.
It is pertinent to note that after Marriott Hotel truck suicide bombing of September 20, 2008, Government had a plan to construct a concrete wall around the red zone, which was resisted by different departments and then it was decided to install High tech explosive scanners and modern explosive detectors at twenty entry points of Islamabad, but nothing positive has so far been seen in this connection.
Well placed sources in Interior ministry when asked about security plan in capital and installation of explosive detectors and scanners said that they were of the view that in the beginning there was a plan to construct a concrete wall around the Red Zone. But the plan came under criticism from different institutions and law enforcement agencies, and later it was decided to install explosive detectors and scanners at 20 entry points to block entry of explosive and explosive laden vehicles in Islamabad.
The sources in Interior ministry said that no plan for installation of explosive detectors and scanners has so far been brought forward and even no paper work was started on this important issue.
So far, no order has been issued from any side to install high-technology and modern explosive detectors and scanners at the entry points, they said.
They were of the view that the construction of concrete wall will cost more than Rs 10 billion besides having different ecological and economic implications, while the installation of scanners would cost less than Rs 1 billion to the national kitty.