QUETTA, Aug 17: In view of threats by proscribed organisations, a search operation was conducted in the Central Jail, Machh, on Saturday.

Balochistan Home Secretary Akbar Hussain Durrani told Dawn that security of sensitive jails in the province had been beefed up with the deployment of a heavy contingent of security personnel around them.

He said that jail authorities had requested the government to deploy Frontier Corps personnel around jail premises.

The secretary said barricades had been erected at roads leading to the Quetta district jail and the personnel of Frontier Corps and Anti-Terrorist Force had been deployed in and around the prison.

According to sources, senior officials gave a surprise visit to the Machh jail on Saturday during which security personnel searched its barracks.

There are over 1,500 prisoners in the Machh jail, including some high-profile inmates who belonged to proscribed organisations.

According to jail authorities, the number of prisoners in Machh jail is more than of its capacity.

Some banned organisations have threatened to attack Machh and Quetta jails on the pattern of D.I. Ismail jail attack.