Security audit: ‘410 key points in Punjab vulnerable’

Security at project sites where foreigners work also unsatisfactory.

LAHORE: An audit by an intelligence agency of key installations in the province – such as airports, power houses, the offices of security agencies – has found security at these places to be unsatisfactory.

Senior police officers all over the province have been directed to beef yup security after a circular – titled ‘Security arrangements at key installations’ – based on the intelligence report was sent to the Home Department and the Inspector General (IG) of Punjab Police.

The circular states that the intelligence agency looked at security arrangements at 410 installations in the Punjab declared key by the Government of Pakistan. It states that the intelligence agency has made recommendations to improve security at these locations. “It is imperative that these arrangements be beefed up by the host management to avert any untoward or subversive activity,” it states.

The report also expresses reservations about the security arrangements for 173 out of 193 developments projects being undertaken in the province in which 3,629 foreigners are working, of whom 3,029 live at the project sites. A majority of these workers – 1,409   are Chinese. These projects are underway in 10 districts: Lahore, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Sahiwal, Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan.

It recommends that “stringent security measures be undertaken by the key point owners concerned, as pointed out by the field staff of the intelligence agency during their survey and re-surveys”. The police officers concerned were asked to hold regular meetings with the key point owners to beef up security.

“The situation warrants close coordination among all the intelligence agencies for sharing information and helping in nabbing the terrorists before they succeed in their nefarious designs,” says the report.

After receiving the circular, the Home Department and the IG directed the capital city police officer, regional police officers, city police officers and district police officers to tighten security at all the key installations and those projects where foreign engineers and experts are working.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 10^th, 2012.