Pak alerts foreign diplomats on Eid violence

Diplomats will have to seek permission from the Foreign Ministry before any travel,The News daily quoted its sources in the Interior Ministry as saying.

Following advice from the Interior Ministry,diplomats in Islamabad were asked not to visit Quetta and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Applications from 29 diplomats to visit Quetta were rejected by the Foreign Ministry because they could not provide justification to visit the city.

The Foreign Ministry turned down the request of three diplomats to visit Gilgit-Baltistan.

The authorities also imposed a ban on travel by diplomats posted in consulates in Karachi,Quetta,Peshawar and Lahore without prior permission.

In a related development,Interior Minister Malik directed security agencies to step up vigil at diplomatic missions during the Eid holidays.

He issued the directive during a meeting held yesterday to review security arrangements in Islamabad for Eid.

Malik said the security plan should include an effective strategy to combat any incident of violence by militants and anti-state elements and an evacuation plan in case of any terrorist attack.

The deployment of paramilitary Pakistan Rangers should be included in the security plan and the Diplomatic Enclave should also be kept under surveillance to avert any incident of suicide or terrorist attack.

Unwarranted entry of people into important avenues,Parliament House,Diplomatic Enclave,Prime Minister’s House and Presidency should be denied through effective security arrangements,he said.

The security agencies should maintain close liaison with intelligence agencies for advance information,he added.

All hotels,guest houses,bus stands and madrassas should be kept under strict surveillance.

Carrying and displaying of weapons should not be allowed,Malik said.