ISLAMABAD, Oct 20: The government is reported to have spent millions of rupees recently for the security of President Asif Ali Zardari at the President’s House, which is already considered to be one of the most protected places in the federal capital.

Sources in the government told Dawn on Monday that President Zardari had been provided more security than that for former president Pervez Musharraf and the special security measures would cost the nation Rs200 million.

The security has been beefed up in the wake of increased suicide bombings in the country, especially in Islamabad.

“The government is concerned about the security of the president and special measures are being taken for his protection,” spokesman Farhatullah Babar said.

“Although President Zardari has not received any direct threat, his security has been enhanced in view of the present situation in which militants have targeted both civilians and political leadership,” Mr Babar said.

Following the devastating suicide attack outside Marriott Hotel on Sept 20, the government believes that the situation was alarming and security of the president, prime minister and other important personalities should be enhanced.

Under the special security measures, two new electronic gates of the President House were being installed -- one near the Parliament House and the other close to the cabinet division building. Construction of the gates will cost Rs82 million.

Similarly, close-circuit security cameras, walk-through gates, search lights and other related equipment are being installed at the building at a cost of Rs35 million.

An amount of Rs3 million has been spent to build a concrete wall in front of the president’s office located on the fourth floor of the President House.

The sources said that a German firm had been hired for fixing bullet-proof glass in windows and doors of the president’s office. The cost of bullet-proof glass imported from Germany runs into millions of rupees.

It has been learnt that the team of commandos who had provided security to former president Musharraf, is now at the service of Mr Zardari. In addition to this, more security personnel from the army and Rangers have also been deployed at the Presidency.

On the directives of Mr Zardari, the government has decided to turn the ‘Red Zone’ (the Constitution Avenue and its nearby areas) into a ‘Walled City’ or ‘Green Zone’ by building a wall and placing scanners around the area to make it a more secured place for government functionaries, parliamentarians and foreign diplomats. An estimated amount of Rs8 billion will be required to implement the new security plan.

The proposed Green Zone will house many important buildings, including the Parliament House, Presidency, Prime Minister’s House, Prime Minister’s Secretariat, Pak-Secretariat, Supreme Court, Parliament Lodges, Ministers’ Colony, Judges’ Colony, Punjab House, Frontier House, Balochistan House and Sindh House.