Islamabad: City entry points being reduced

[Naveed Yaseen]

ISLAMABAD: Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah on Friday ordered the authorities concerned to reduce the number of entry points to the city. It is learnt that the step has been taken to make for shortage of security staff. Presently, 94 check posts are established at entry points to the capital. The sources said that the government could not afford installing vehicle scanners, costing around $35 million each, at all these check posts. They said the interior secretary had ruled out that the government had ever considered any proposal for walling off Red Zone. “Such a proposal was never considered by the Interior Ministry, CDA, or any other government body,” they quoted the secretary as saying. The sources explained that building a wall around sensitive areas was against master plan of the city and would give a message that the rulers had taken refuge behind walls. They said the ministry was considering issuing passes to frequent visitors of the Red Zone. They said the road behind FIA building had been closed for security reasons and would open for general public soon. atif khan

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