Pakistan has placed Islamabad and the neighbouring garrison city of Rawalpindi on high security alert ahead of the expected second round of US-Iran nuclear talks, mobilising 20,000 police personnel backed by elite commando units and rooftop snipers.
According to police sources cited by Ada Derana, additional Punjab Highway Patrol, Dolphin Force and Quick Response Unit teams have been placed on alert, with Safe City cameras providing round-the-clock surveillance across the twin cities.
US security advance teams have begun arriving in the capital to coordinate arrangements for the talks, security officials said. Pakistan was the venue for the first round of Pakistan-brokered US-Iran negotiations earlier this month, which produced a fragile two-week ceasefire but no nuclear deal before the talks ultimately collapsed.
All public and goods transport in Rawalpindi and Islamabad has been suspended as part of the security plan, and most entry points to the heavily fortified Red Zone have been sealed. Major five-star hotels including the Serena Hotel and Marriott Hotel have been requisitioned by the government, with existing guests asked to vacate. Hostels and guest houses across the capital have been directed to close until further notice.
The hardened security posture mirrors the arrangements made before the first round of talks, signalling that Pakistan expects the second round to draw a similar high-level US and Iranian delegation. A successful round would re-establish a diplomatic track on Iran’s nuclear programme and the Hormuz crisis, both of which directly affect Sri Lanka’s fuel supply costs.
The Ada Derana report cited Xinhua and other agency wires.
