The city police have further beefed up security in the federal capital and sped up search operations in the outskirts of the federal capital following the recent terrorist attack in Lahore. An official of city police said that high-ups of Islamabad police have worked out a comprehensive security plan in order to ensure foolproof security in the city and decided to broaden the scope of ongoing search operations to thwart any untoward incident.
He said that under the plan, police are conducting checking at 1,029 halting points set up in various parts of the city. "Over 50 vehicles are being used for random checking at different parts of the city and they change their positions after every hour to ensure strict checking," he said.
The police official further said that additional contingents of police have been deployed at sensitive places, important buildings, markets and parks. Under the plan, police teams will conduct surprise visits and check educational institutions, important buildings, media houses, trading centres and other important places.
The security of the Presidency, Prime Minister House, Supreme Court, Parliament House, Parliament Lodges, Pak Secretariat, foreign embassies and Benazir Bhutto International Airport has been further tightened, he said, adding that police officials in civvies have also been assigned the task to keep vigilance on suspicious elements.
The official said that strict orders have been issued to police officers to patrol all sensitive areas and keep a vigil on the suspects and arrest them to maintain law and order. Police have started strict checking of vehicles at all the entry and exit points in the city, he said, adding that special police teams constituted by every police station will also patrol for effective security management in their respective jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, personnel of city police, Rangers and other security agencies conducted a joint search in different areas of Tarnol police station, including Jori Rajgan Sharqi, Shaheen Abad and adjacent areas, on Thursday. Eight suspects including an Afghan national were arrested during the search operation, which was supervised by Superintendent of Police (SP) Industrial Area Muhammad Hassan Iqbal. Some 270 houses were checked and weapons including four 12-bore guns, four pistols and one repeater were recovered in the search operation.