Al Qaeda and anti-government elements are planning a series of bombings and rocket attacks in the country's major cities very soon, revealed reports to the Interior Ministry by the secret service, reliable sources told Daily Times. The secret services learnt of the attacks on a recent visit to the Iranian consulate when the consulate passed on information it had gathered, sources said. In light of these reports, the government has directed the chief secretaries, home secretaries and provincial police officers to tighten security around sensitive buildings, foreign missions and consulates and senior government officers. The government has also directed the authorities to install security cameras at sensitive government buildings. The Interior Ministry has requested the Ministry of Finance to grant Rs 35 million for the Diplomatic Protection Department to buy weapons, vehicles and other security equipment that would help law enforcement agencies be more efficient. The ministry has also directed the district administration and Capital Development Authority to speed up the installation of 90 security and traffic control cameras in various parts of the city. The district administration has contracted a Chinese firm to install the surveillance cameras.
Two more suspects were arrested over an alleged Independence Day plot to blow up government and military headquarters as well as the US embassy in Islamabad, a minister said on Tuesday. "There were a few more arrests on Monday in connection with the Independence Day plots," Information Minister Sheikh Rashid said. "They are not the main culprits," he added. The "nine or 10" suspects already rounded up over the August 14 plots were still being interrogated, he said. "Those arrested for plotting Independence Day attacks are being questioned," Rashid said. |