Nuclear sites, defence facilities sealed off across Punjab
By: Ashraf Javed | September 07, 2012
LAHORE – Amid serious threats, all the key government installations including arms depot, weapons manufacturing plants, nuclear sites and defence facilities have been cordoned off with three-layer deployment of police and Army commandoes in the outer- circles, it was reliably learnt on Thursday.
Well-informed sources told The Nation that the new security strategy has been put in place in the light of the input received from the intelligence agencies, following the failed terror attempt at Karma Base in Attock.
Sources said that the leading defence and nuclear facilities located in Sargodha, Multan, DG Khan, Wah Cantonment, and other parts of the province have been sealed off with massive deployment of force to strictly check the movement of suspicious elements.
As demonstrated by attack on Kamra Base, elements of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), firmly entrenched in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) have extended the range of their terrorist activities throughout Pakistan.
“There are strong indications to suggest that they (TTP elements) have been infiltrated by hostile agencies to target Pakistan’s strategic interests,” military sources said.
They further revealed that the security agencies have been put on their toes and the authorities concerned have also been strongly suggested that the country cannot afford any risk as far as foolproof security around the most sensitive sites and installations is concerned. “We cannot rule out terror threats anywhere including at the nuclear sites. The possible terror attempts to be foiled through operational preparedness of Armed Forces like the Quick Response Force (QRF) that had annihilated all the attackers before reaching the target at Kamra base attack,” a senior official commented, conditioning anonymity.
Sources in the security agencies stated that since Pakistan’s Armed Forces are fighting against the extremists to flush out militancy from the insurgency-hit areas, the terror attacks on the sensitive sites could not be ruled out. “Terrorists have taken the law in their hands and have plans to spread anarchy in the country. They attacked GHQ, Recruitment and Training Regimental Centre Mardan, Police Training Centre Lahore, POF Wah, Naval Staff College, Mehran Naval Base and Kamra Air Base and many other sensitive installations.” The terror threat regarding possible attack at nuclear sites has been sounded after the country’s leading intelligence agencies intercepted telephone calls from the TTP leaders who were talking about attacks on sensitive military installations. The agencies have warned that the TTP could launch coordinated attacks at large-scale involving a number of terrorists with explosive-laden vehicles.
It may be mentioned here that many top Taliban leaders have been killed or captured during the last couple of months either during military action or drone strikes in the northwest. “TTP needs to be neutralised; sooner rather than later; NWA or anywhere their modules are located. They will be flushed out. But, security forces should remain prepared to thwart revenge attacks by the terrorists”, a source in the Defence Ministry said, requesting his identity not to be revealed.
Army as an institution is not against any faction or group loyal to Pakistan. Terrorists entrenching violence are posing threat to the State of Pakistan, hence, as and when nation decided Army will undertake operation against such elements, he added.
“The police force and commandoes are assisting the security forces to ensure that a best and state-of-the-art security mechanism could be put in place around key government installations in the Punjab province,” Inspector General of Police (IGP) Muhammad Habib-ur-Rehman said, when contacted.
He said that the District Police Officers are in touch their counterparts in the intelligence agencies and joint efforts are underway to defeat the terrorists.
The local police, security agencies, and intelligence operatives have been deployed around the most sensitive sites to thwart any possible terror attempt, sources in the Federal Interior Ministry confirmed to this reporter by phone. The security agencies have implemented the new strategy, according to which steps have been taken to defeat the terrorists by involving Quick Response Force (QRF).
The Armed Forces duly supported by local police have also join hands to ensure security around the strategic installations, identified as most sensitive. The police have set up pickets around the key installations to check the movement of unknown and unauthorised persons in the sensitive localities.
According to sources, the intelligence agencies have also indicated that the possibility of a RAW-CIA-run network involved in suspicious spying activities in Pakistan could not be ruled out. The Indo-US network may collect information through their agents network in Pakistan.
“The anti-Pakistan elements could also collect information to transform it into actionable intelligence to assist CIA, FBI and Directorate of National Intelligence (DNI) against the strategic interests of Pakistan,” according to an intelligence report sent to the Interior Ministry recently.
Nuclear sites, defence facilities sealed off across Punjab | The Nation