Foreigners advised to restrict movement

ISLAMABAD: A number of foreign missions in Islamabad have advised their citizens to restrict their movement after a fresh threat of terrorist attacks in the capital, sources in the interior ministry and diplomatic circles told Dawn on Wednesday.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik has warned of new threats of terrorist attacks in Islamabad and other parts of the country in the near future.

“The federal government issued a security advisory to the provinces and all authorities concerned two weeks ago on the basis of an intelligence report,” he said during a recent visit to the office of World Food Programme where a suicide attack claimed the lives of five UN officials.

“A security alert has been issued about possible attacks by terrorists in Punjab, Sindh, Islamabad and Balochistan,” he said, adding that steps had been taken to foil their nefarious designs.

According to the sources, the foreign missions have alerted their citizens in view of a possible military operation in Waziristan and reaction from the Taliban.

Malaysia has advised its nationals to be more vigilant. “According to the Pakistani authorities, another large-scale suicide bombing may take place and, therefore, Malaysians are advised to be more vigilant and avoid going to potential target areas,” said an advisory issued by the Malaysian Foreign Ministry.

It said the Malaysian Foreign Ministry and Malaysian High Commissioner in Islamabad would continue to monitor the situation and issue reports accordingly.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari has said terrorist attacks will not shake Pakistan’s determination to take the fight against extremists and militants to the end.

During a meeting with Executive Director of the World Food Programme Ms Josette Sheeran at the President House, he said: “The people of Pakistan are shedding the blood to make the country, the region and the world safe and free from extremist elements.”

The president offered condolences over the loss of innocent lives in the suicide bombing at the WFP office and said that heinous attacks, especially on people who were working for eliminating poverty and hunger, were condemnable.