Security threat: Govt to padlock Civil Secretariat’s Saddar gate

Former home secretary had earlier issued directives for the closure.

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has decided to close down the Saddar Road gate of the Civil Secretariat in the provincial capital.

Officials privy to the development told The Express Tribune the K-P Home and Tribal Affairs department was requested by officials from other departments to padlock the gate in a bid to secure the facility from a possible militant attack.

“We have already received directives from the high-ups (former home secretary Syed Akhtar Ali Shah). The implementation is still under way,” said a government official, requesting not to be named. He said visitors will now have to use the Police Lines gate to enter and leave the premises.



Another home department official said the closure is part of several measures the government is taking in order to secure its installations from an organised assault similar to the Army Public School (APS) attack. “After the APS incident, law-enforcement agencies submitted threat reports for various buildings, including Central Prison Peshawar, MPA Hostel and Police Lines,” he added.

The area is perhaps Peshawar’s red zone where a number of key government departments, including agriculture, higher secondary education, transport, information and revenue, have their offices. “Security is being beefed up in the entire city. These measures are a need of the hour,” the official said.

The intention is to reduce the number of exit and entry points at the secretariat, he said, adding several routes in Cantonment have already been closed in order to enhance security. Entry of public buses and vans is already prohibited on GT Road.

The Saddar gate is a direct entrance frequented by pedestrians and those who commute by public transport, hence the security risk is perceived to be high.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2015.