The Interior Ministry has failed to pay any attention to the biggest challenge in the security of Islamabad, Margalla Hills, and thereby to ensure a proper security set up to avert any possible terrorist infiltration from the hills.
Margalla Hills, separating the Federal Capital from NWFP, provide an easy access to Mansehra district, which is not so far from Dir, Buner, Swat and other parts of the insurgency-hit Malakand division.
Interior Ministry in the wake of September 2008 Marriott Hotel truck blast and increasing number of terrorist attacks in the capital had decided to devise a foolproof security system for the capital, informed sources in the Ministry told this scribe on Wednesday.
The headquarters of Pakistan Navy (PN), Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Pakistan Army in foothills of Margalla are vulnerable to any attack. Sources revealed that the Interior Ministry directed the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration, police and other law enforcement agencies in early 2009 to conduct a security survey of Margalla Hills.
The survey was conducted in June 2009, which recommended that security checkposts be constructed at Margalla Hills to secure the capital from any possible attack from this side. In addition, the report proposed that modern surveillance equipment, including night goggles and sniper rifles be provided to the forces deployed at Margalla Hills checkpoints.
In this report ICT Administration and law enforcement agencies pointed out that almost all terrorist attacks in the capital used Margalla Hills as their principle route to enter Islamabad with explosives and other subversive material, sources said. The report urged the Ministry to ensure early construction of new security posts at Margalla Hills so that vigilance could be enhanced in this sensitive area.
It is pertinent to note that under new comprehensive security plan for federal capital, prepared last year, rangers were assigned the task of guarding the Margalla Hills. Gilgit Scouts were to be deployed around the Red Zone to provide security to this sensitive area.
But so far the security plan has not been implemented and there has been no deployment of Rangers and Gilgit Scouts. The Interior Ministry placed the entire security apparatus on high alert, over 170 security check points were erected and stringent measures were taken to make Islamabad completely secure. But, the important part of the capital namely Margalla Hills, which is making it vulnerable to terrorist attacks, was ignored.
Interior Ministry sources said that Interior Ministry created a high security Red Zone comprising of the Constitution Avenue, Presidency, Prime Minister House and Secretariat, Parliament, Supreme Court, Pak Secretariat, Parliament Lodges, foreign office, diplomatic enclave and various other sensitive government installations, besides residences of VVIP personalities, Judges and Minister's enclosures. The focus of security personnel is this limited area of the capital at the cost of the rest of the city, Interior Ministry sources revealed.
Comments
Comments are closed.