The government has beefed up security in Islamabad and additional measures are being adopted to protect public places, government installations in the wake of likely terrorist attacks particularly Diplomatic Enclave, Presidency, Secretariat, and other sensitive government buildings.
The entire federal capital was put under heavy security blanket to avoid any untoward incident or terrorist strike in reaction to the operation in Peshawar and tribal areas. All roads leading to Islamabad and Rawalpindi were put under heavy surveillance and the number of police personnel on check-points was increased.
The checking of vehicle on every entry and exit point of the capital and Rawalpindi was increased to avoid any reaction from the militants as a result of the operation in Peshawar and tribal areas.
Law-enforcement agencies were put on high alert to apprehend the terrorists before they were in a position to carry out their nefarious designs. The government has decided to launch a massive operation against the militants in Bara and Jamrud tehsils of Khyber Agency near Peshawar, as militants had become more active for last few days.
The interior ministry sources said that army will not be used in Khyber Agency operation. But the police will conduct it, while Frontier Constabulary will assist the police.
Police was asked to launch an operation against the rival groups in Khyber Agency and Peshawar to maintain the law and order, while army remain will on side and will be called if deemed necessary.
The NWFP chief minister will supervise the operation in settled areas of the province. But Frontier Corps on a massive scale to clean the area from local and foreign militants will launch the operation against the Taliban militants. Additional contingents of security forces have been dispatched to Bara from Jamrud to reinforce the already existing forces there, sources in interior ministry said.
It is pertinent to note that the situation in Khyber Agency was tense and political administration has imposed indefinite curfew in the area. Sixty people have been killed and more than 80 injured so far in the clashes.
Meanwhile, the United States of America and certain western countries have instructed their missions and citizens living in Pakistan to be careful and cautious. The foreigners were instructed to avoid unnecessary travel in the country, sources said.
The instructions were issued after diplomats on Saturday held meetings separately in their respective embassies to assess the situation in Fata and NWFP, they said, adding that diplomats of US, Germany, Holland, Canada and France held consultative meeting to decide necessary measures.