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PESHAWAR, June 28: Heavily armed personnel of the Pakistan Army and other security agencies on Saturday started patrolling sensitive areas of the provincial capital, especially those in close proximity to the Khyber Agency, in order to contain any fallout from the operation launched in the troubled tribal region.
Peshawar has been put on high alert and security agencies are focusing on the areas which share boundaries with the troubled region, from where there were various incursions recently by activists of the Bara-based and Mangal Bagh-led Lashkar-i-Islam.
Paramilitary troops and elite forces were witnessed patrolling main roads in the city’s rural and cantonment areas, whereas army jawans were seen patrolling in various machinegun-fitted vehicles parts of Hayatabad Township, an upscale neighbourhood near the Bara and Jamrud tehsils of the Khyber Agency.
“The so-called threat from criminal elements to Peshawar on account of a few incursions by tribal gangs has largely been eliminated due to an effective paramilitary operation in the adjoining Bara tribal area,” said NWFP Inspector General of Police Malik Naveed.
Tanks were stationed at the FC base in Hayatabad so that they could be rolled out quickly in case of any attack by militants. Similarly, armoured personnel carriers were moved to sensitive points adjacent to the tribal belt.
An explosion which ripped through a barber shop in the limits of the Pishtakhara police station on Saturday morning had set off alarm bells among the security officials. The shop owned by one Ali Mohammad in Deh Bala was destroyed but no loss of life was reported.
On Friday night, a police constable, Ibadullah, had been shot dead at a checkpost on the Canal Road.
Roads linking Peshawar to the Khyber Agency were cordoned off by personnel of the law-enforcement agencies.
“It is a joint, coordinated effort of different law-enforcement agencies and personnel from these agencies have been deputed at various sensitive points,” said Peshawar Senior Superintendent of Police Kashif Alam.
Police officials at various checkposts in the jurisdiction of three police stations of Hayatabad Township — Khyber, Hayatabad and Tatara —said the area was exposed to militants but forces were alert to deal with any offensive by them.
Operation in Peshawar
The expected operation against outlaws in the Peshawar areas has been put off until the situation improves in Khyber Agency.
A high-ranking police officer on condition of anonymity told Dawn that security forces had been put in advanced as well as back-up positions at about 24 sensitive points and were waiting for a nod from their high-ups.
A drive against criminal gangs was on the cards but it had been delayed, because the launch of two operations simultaneously, in Peshawar and Bara, would not be wise, he said.
Sources said some 24 platoons of the elite force and 27 platoons of the Frontier Constabulary had been deployed in various sensitive areas. About 30 new vans and as many motorcycles had been provided to police, they added.
It is learnt that around 11 platoons of law-enforcement agencies have been deployed in Matanni, Badabher and the adjoining areas which share borders with the semi-tribal Darra Adamkhel area.
Deployment in other areas include four platoons in the limits of the Mathra Police Station, two in Pishtakhara Police Station, one at Tatara, four in the Nasir Bagh and Regi Police Stations areas, two in Daudzai police station limits and one each at Gulbahar, East Cantonment and University Town police stations.
IGP Malik Naveed said security had been beefed up in and around Peshawar and all appropriate measures had been taken to ensure peace and security in the provincial capital.
