Terrorist threat looming in Lahore: Security beefed up, again!

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Police declare Civil Secretariat ‘red zone’
* Suspicious vehicles being checked n Security tightened at Qurban Lines
* CCPO urges citizens to report any suspicious person or activity to police

LAHORE: The security of important buildings and police offices was beefed up on Tuesday after intelligence reports of more terrorist attacks in the city.

The city police has finalised a comprehensive security plan in this regard and has deployed security personnel at all the sensitive government buildings. The Punjab Civil Secretariat has been declared as a red zone. Police has been checking vehicles by setting up pickets on different roads and patrolling in mobile vans. They checked the Computerised National Identity Cards (CNIC) of passengers. The traffic wardens were also sternly directed to keep an eye on suspicious vehicles and check them.

Checking: Police continued checking suspicious vehicles on The Mall, Jail Road, GT Road, Canal Road, Ferozepur Road, Multan Road, Lower Mall, and Ravi Road. Diversions have been set up in front of the sensitive buildings to reduce the speed of vehicles. Orders have also been issued to tighten the security of the police stations. Additional security personnel have been manned at the Qila Gujjar Singh Police Lines, offices of sensitive agencies, police training centers, PTV building, Alhamra Hall, Punjab Assembly building, Punjab Civil Secretariat, Lahore High Court, Supreme Court Registry, GPO, Railway Station, Wapda House, CM House, hotels, State Bank, and educational institutions providing co-education.

Qurban Lines: Trenches made of sandbags have been set up at the entry points of the Qurban Lines. A concrete security post was constructed at its Jail Road entrance. Snipers have been appointed at the Sherpao over-head bridge to thwart any possible attack on the Qurban Lines.

Suspicious activity: Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Muhammad Pervez Rathore appealed to the citizens to keep an eye on their neighbourhoods, markets, tenants and pedestrians. He said terrorists were the enemies of the state and it was incumbent upon the citizens to extend wholehearted cooperation to defeat the nefarious designs of Taliban. He called upon the citizens to immediately inform the Lahore police about any suspicious person or activity and assured the name of the informant would be kept secret. rana tanveer

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