| Submit your comments on this article |
| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| Pakistan warned of biological attack |
| 2001-10-01 |
| The United States has warned Pakistan of possible biological warfare and attacks by terrorists and asked it to prepare contingency plans to check it, highly-placed sources told Dawn here on Sunday. Following the US alert, the authorities were preparing contingency plans for the unusual mode of attack and had reportedly sought $1 million assistance from the US for upgrading their facilities, the sources said. The sources said there were reports that the terrorists might unleash attacks by biological weapons in Pakistan in response to the US attack on alleged terrorist bases run by Al-Qaida of Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. Pakistan's two defence laboratories - one in Karachi and the other in Islamabad - were working to prepare the vaccine to combat biological agents, the sources said, adding that the existing facilities would need to be upgraded for properly coping with such an attack. The country had the required expertise to prepare vaccine for biological agents and if funds were provided the vaccine could be made available in days, the sources said. Under the plan two mobile self-contained micro-biology laboratories would be established, they added. |
| Posted by:Fred |