Pak fears rise in suicide attacks before Oct 6

Islamabad, Sep 26: There are threats of increase in suicide attacks in Pakistan before the October 6 presidential polls, Interior Ministry spokesperson Brigadier (retired) Javed Iqbal Cheema has said.

“There is fear of suicide attacks on the occasion of the forthcoming presidential election and the government is vigilant to prevent any such act of terrorism," Brigadier Cheema told reporters.

Defending the Musharraf"s regime decision of detaining over a 100 political leaders and workers, he said the government has done this as a part of a preventive strategy to keep the situation of law and order under control.

The Pakistan Government was left with no other option but to take action against such elements who are issuing threatening statements of agitation and besieging the office of Election Commission and the apex court, The Nation quoted Brigadier Cheema, as saying.

Commenting on the concerns expressed by the European Union and the United States over the arrest of the leaders, he said the government knows best what to do or what not to do.

The offices and educational institutions would remain open in Islamabad on September 29, the day of the scrutiny of the nomination papers of candidates of the presidential election, the spokesperson said.

Talking about the situation in the tribal area Brigadier Cheema said that the situation is improving as the result of the current tribal elder-militant negotiations.

Twenty-six personnel of the security forces have been safely released and we expect further progress in the same direction in the days to come. After the release of 26 security personnel, 114 remained in the custody of militants, he added.

ANI

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