New Delhi: A heightened security alert has been sounded in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad amid reports of a terror threat from Taliban. The US embassy has suspended its routine consular services.
"Regular consular services, such as visa processing for Pakistani nationals, won't be available in the capital tomorrow. But the embassy will still be available to provide emergency services to Americans," the spokesman was quoted as saying by Geo TV.
The US government has reportedly issued a fresh advisory for its citizens to remain watchful in Pakistan and has directed them not to travel and stay there unnecessarily, the channel said.
While officials say it’s due to heightened security in the capital, it's not only the US embassy that is on alert. International aid agencies in the capital will also be closed for the same reason.
This comes amid reports that terror groups may be planning to strike in Islamabad. The US is particularly vulnerable because of its drone attacks targeting the taliban in Pakistan's tribal areas.
The last few weeks has seen terror attacks rising in the country. The last attack took place in north Waziristan killing 17.
In fact, there have also been reports of the Taliban moving into big cities like Islamabad and Karachi in the recent days to seek refuge against US drone attacks in the tribal areas.
New battlelines are being drawn in Pakistan's tribal areas. Reports say the Taliban are abandoning sanctuaries there in the face of repeated drone attacks from the US.
But this has only led to more sinister consequences. The Taliban is now leaving the tribal areas, their safe haven till now, to urban areas.
Reportedly suicide squads are regrouping in cities like Lahore, Karachi and scores of smaller towns like Buner which is just 100 km north of Islamabad.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has also asked Pakistan to do more to tackle terrorism.
"Increasingly we have seen terrorist links with Pakistan and
Britain. I'll be talking to the Pakistan President Mr Zardari. We want the
closest of cooperation between Britain and Pakistan to deal with countering
terrorism, and I think one of the lessons we're learning from the events of
the last few years is that Pakistan has got to do more to root out the
terrorist elements in its country at all," Brown said.
(inputs from PTI)
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