Islamabad Wears Security Blanket As PM Appears In Court

Islamabad, Jan 19, IRNA – Pakistani capital was put under a tight security cover on Thursday as Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani was to appear in Supreme Court for failing to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, officials said. Paramilitary soldiers have been deployed in surrounding areas of the Supreme Court and on roads leading to the building besides hundreds of police officers, the Interior Ministry said. The police had stopped general traffic in the ‘Red Zone’ both pedestrian and vehicular from Wednesday midnight and the restrictions will continue until the court’s proceedings are over, the ministry said. Around 40 ministers, several governors, chief ministers, federal and provincial ministers, leaders of the ruling coalition parties and lawmakers will accompany the prime minister when he will appear before a seven-bench of the apex court. The court has issued special passes to them and there will be no entry for any visitor, the Supreme Court registrar said. Only, bona fide lawyers or card holders issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan would be allowed entry in the Supreme Court building, the Interior Ministry said. Journalists have also been issued special passes and their entry will only be on passes. Interior Minister Rehman Malik presided over a high level meeting and ordered to maintain three cordons of security around the Supreme Court building and the entry would be manned by Supreme Court Security Police Personnel and outer cordons would be the responsibility of paramilitary soldiers and police. Malik said that no un-authorized person shall be allowed entry in any of the cordons and all incoming routes of the Supreme Court shall be sealed since early morning till the proceedings are over to maintain such security, a ministry’s statement said. Judges route from their residence to the Supreme Court would be fully secured by Islamabad Police along with paramilitary force ‘rangers’. The number of scanners has been increased in the Supreme Court building and every visitor would have to pass through the three scanners before entering the court building. Security cameras have also been installed in the Supreme Court building to monitor movement of all visitors. A court’s statement said that special security cameras have been installed in the court rooms as well as public entry gates and reception areas of the court./end