Punjab on alert after ‘Afghan suicide bombers’ threat

LAHORE: The Punjab government has alerted foreign officials and high-profile figures to restrict their outdoor activities in view of looming terror threat, ARY News reported.

A letter issued by the provincial government says child suicide bombers trained in Afghanistan have been sent to Pakistan for terror activity. The letter asks authorities to especially keep vigilance on Afghan residents in the province.

The security authorities have conveyed the concern to all foreign officials and informed them to practise caution.

Special Police Unit in the province has also been alerted in view of the threat.

The authorities communicated the foreign workers associated with local development projects to exercise restraint and limit their movements.

In March 2016, the army had decided to conduct a widespread operation across Punjab to target militants, their facilitators and their hideouts.

The crackdown gave paramilitary Rangers extraordinary powers to conduct raids and interrogate suspects similar to those the Rangers have used for more than two years in Karachi.

However, the operation gradually relented months after it was launched.