Insecurity grips residents after threats to UN offices
Insecurity grips residents after threats to UN offices
By Atif Khan
ISLAMABAD: As sense of insecurity appears to have gripped Islamabad’s residents again following fresh threats to UN offices, many of which are located in residential neighborhoods.Having witnessed terror in the heart of the town in recent months, the local people, especially those living in the vicinity of such offices are paying a heavy price for what is clearly no fault of theirs. Daily Times has learnt that the value of the residential property in these areas has gone down considerably while the residents also run the risk of suffering losses in case of any terrorist attack. “I have a house in F-7 near UN office and after the attack on Danish embassy, my tenants left due to nuisance created by the movement of security officials in the street, and now I have rented the house at Rs 10,000 less than the previous rent,” Syed Qazalbash, a resident said. Islamabad was rocked by a suicide attack in the heart of Sector F-6/2 where the Danish Embassy is located. It killed six people while injuring several others. The attack came just months after a bomb went off in an Italian Restaurant close to Super Market. The World Food Programme (WFP) offices are located in F-8/3, UNESCO in F-7/3, UNICEF on Khayaben-e-Iqbal, while the United Nations House and UNDP offices are located in Sector F-7. “Whenever there is a rumor of any threatening phone call in the UN offices, after which security officials roam around the building in panic, my children freeze in the house,” Kamal Agha, a resident of F-7 told Daily Times.Confirming the unusual movement around the UN Offices during last month a UN official on condition of anonymity said, “Three days ago, (Wednesday, at 5.30 pm) the security officials of UN office, in F-7, thoroughly frisked all the staff, which not only created embarrassment for the staff members but also disturbed the neighbours,” he said. He said the authorities were of the view that keys of the car of an official were lost and the car might be used for some terrorist activity. He said the panicked security officials did not try to find the keys or search the car but frisked the employees working inside the building. Another UN official said the recent security measures were taken after a threat call received in UN office working on gender issues. He said attendance of UN offices’ employees had also become thin and most of the employees were operating from their homes.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008%5C07%5C05%5Cstory_5-7-2008_pg7_19
By Atif Khan
ISLAMABAD: As sense of insecurity appears to have gripped Islamabad’s residents again following fresh threats to UN offices, many of which are located in residential neighborhoods.Having witnessed terror in the heart of the town in recent months, the local people, especially those living in the vicinity of such offices are paying a heavy price for what is clearly no fault of theirs. Daily Times has learnt that the value of the residential property in these areas has gone down considerably while the residents also run the risk of suffering losses in case of any terrorist attack. “I have a house in F-7 near UN office and after the attack on Danish embassy, my tenants left due to nuisance created by the movement of security officials in the street, and now I have rented the house at Rs 10,000 less than the previous rent,” Syed Qazalbash, a resident said. Islamabad was rocked by a suicide attack in the heart of Sector F-6/2 where the Danish Embassy is located. It killed six people while injuring several others. The attack came just months after a bomb went off in an Italian Restaurant close to Super Market. The World Food Programme (WFP) offices are located in F-8/3, UNESCO in F-7/3, UNICEF on Khayaben-e-Iqbal, while the United Nations House and UNDP offices are located in Sector F-7. “Whenever there is a rumor of any threatening phone call in the UN offices, after which security officials roam around the building in panic, my children freeze in the house,” Kamal Agha, a resident of F-7 told Daily Times.Confirming the unusual movement around the UN Offices during last month a UN official on condition of anonymity said, “Three days ago, (Wednesday, at 5.30 pm) the security officials of UN office, in F-7, thoroughly frisked all the staff, which not only created embarrassment for the staff members but also disturbed the neighbours,” he said. He said the authorities were of the view that keys of the car of an official were lost and the car might be used for some terrorist activity. He said the panicked security officials did not try to find the keys or search the car but frisked the employees working inside the building. Another UN official said the recent security measures were taken after a threat call received in UN office working on gender issues. He said attendance of UN offices’ employees had also become thin and most of the employees were operating from their homes.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008%5C07%5C05%5Cstory_5-7-2008_pg7_19
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