Security at five star hotels tightened

Security at five star hotels in the city has been tightened and private vehicles' entry into these hotels has been strictly banned. Similarly, these hotels have also set up pickets with security personnel aiming their guns at the pedestrians entering in the hotels while parking their vehicles outside the hotel. Only the vehicles of residents of the hotels are allowed to enter the hotel compounds.
Heavy concrete blocks besides movable barriers are placed outside the main entries where heavy contingent of security staff scans each and every entrant one by one to ensure safety of the hotels and their residents. Heavy contingent of Elite force was also placed outside these hotels.
The security is being beefed up unprecedented in the backdrop of nerve-wrecking blast at a five-star hotel in Peshawar on Tuesday night, leaving many dead and injured. The horrendous blast at PC Peshawar panicked the public in general and the presence of visitors was reported as thin on Wednesday. The hotel lobbies remained empty for the day. Many residents of these hotels had reportedly left the hotels hurriedly while leaving their business deals unfinished. Sources among the hotel's management also informed that the hotel purchase has also been slashed down for the time being.
The security concerns have led the postponement of a scheduled press conference to be addressed by former Pakistan chief selector Abdul Qadir at a local hotel.
The sports management company representing the former Test leg-spinner said the bomb blast at the five star Pearl Continental Hotel in Peshawar had forced them to postpone the press conference. "Due to the blast PC administration in Lahore has requested that we call off the conference," an official of the company said. Qadir, who resigned as chief selector on Monday in mysterious circumstances, was expected to make public reasons about his ouster. Sources close to PCB management were of the view that there were some serious complaints against Qadir vis-à-vis selection of Pak-A Team for Australian tour. This led to his ouster from the office of Chairman National Selection Committee.
The blast at a hotel in Peshawar is likely to come as a setback to Pakistan, which is trying to convince the ICC and other host countries to allow it to host its share of the World Cup matches.
Panic also spread around the government circles, particularly the Civil Secretariat. The Chief Secretary open kutchery was shifted from the Secretariat outdoors to the courtyard to avoid any untoward situation. It may be noted that leading English medium schools, running co-education regularly, have already been closed down. Entry of public to the Zoo was also closed down with the blast at the 15 building, situated in front of a highly sensitive organisation about two weeks earlier. However, the Zoo authorities told Business Recorder that entry to the Zoo from back gate has been restored. Meanwhile, it is also learnt that traffic towards the affected buildings will remain closed for three months ahead due to reconstruction of the buildings, including the highly sensitive organisation.