Islamabad plans Rs 10b high security zone

ISLAMABAD: The government is planning to spend Rs219.875 million on fencing the entire ‘high-security’ zone in Islamabad as part of a bigger Rs10 billion plan to secure government buildings and state functionaries “without affecting the beauty of the capital,” sources told The Express Tribune on Saturday.

The project, which is in the planning stage and likely to be run by the National Database Registration Authority (Nadra), also includes a foreign assistance of $124.72million.

The plan calls for installation of automatic sliding gates, electronic walk-through gates, close-circuit television cameras, sensors and drop-down barriers. The Aiwan-i-Sadr, Parliament House, Prime Minister Secretariat, Prime Minister’s House, Supreme Court building, Pakistan Secretariat and the Diplomatic Enclave fall in the high-security zone.

The project will be presented to the Planning Commission after the finalisation of its PC-I. The government is likely to recruit 450 ex-servicemen – 111 ASIs and 400 constables – who will be trained in modern risk management techniques, use of electronic security gadgets and preemptive security measures.

The source said that security measures for ministries and divisions in Rawalpindi and Islamabad outside the highsecurity zone is also part of the plan. According to the security plan, the fencing ‘will be arranged in a manner that it does not affect the beauty of the capital’. Under the plan, security within various secretariat blocks will be enhanced by installing ‘delta’ barriers, walk-through gates and provision for explosives and metal detectors at a cost of Rs15.538million.

The security of the PM House a will be upgraded at an estimated cost of Rs14.654 million. Security cover for outer zones of the federal capital and Rawalpindi will be provided through a $124.72million ‘safe city project’, calling for the establishment of 55 well-guarded entry points. CCTV cameras will be installed across the city. Radio frequency identification tags will be put in place along with a rapid response network. A senior official told The Express Tribune that Nadra officials had briefed the ministry about the ‘safe city project’.