NEW DELHI: Ahead of Independence Day and in the wake of an intelligence alert, D elhi has been put on high

alert with heavy security arrangements and police barr iers across the city. "There shall be special checking of all vehicles, both private and commercial, e ntering the city from neighbouring states through border entry points," said Add itional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Anil Shukla. Besides Delhi Police personnel and commandos, security officials in plain clothe s and snipers will also be deployed around the Red Fort. At least 80 companies o f security forces (around 6,000 personnel) will be deployed at the Red Fort and the surrounding areas, said the official. "A team of snipers, National Security Guard (NSG) commandos along with Delhi Pol ice will man the fort in a multi-tier security arrangement," he added. Delhi Police and traffic police personnel will be spread out across the city to secure important places as well as entry and exit points at "vulnerable location s". All high-rise buildings, hotels, guest houses, markets and restaurants in Pa harganj, Jama Masjid and areas near the Red Fort will be under the police scanne r. Even rickshaw-pullers and vendors in the area have been asked to keep a lookout for suspicious objects and people, police said. "Intensive checking drives have been started at the airport, railway stations, M etro stations, bus stops, markets, malls and the border areas," said the officer . Intensive drives have also been conducted for verification of tenants, servants, occupants of guest houses, dealers of used scooters and cars, cyber cafe users and cycle sellers across the city, he said. "We have received a letter from IB (Intelligence Bureau) about a threat from a t errorist outfit ahead of Aug 15," a police source said. "All the neighbouring states have also been alerted and security has been beefed up at border check posts, railway stations, metro and all interstate bus termin us," said a senior Delhi Police officer. Delhi Police Commissioner Bhim Sain Bassi held a meeting of senior police office rs from neighbouring states on Aug 7 to discuss security-related issues. "The objective of the meeting was to share terror related intelligence and input s about various extremist outfits and their designs," Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said. New Delhi: The Intelligence Bureau has alerted the Delhi Police about a possible terror attack, reports said on Friday. The IB has written a letter to the police about a specific threat to the nationa l capital, following which New Delhi has been put on high alert. The IB has apprised the police of the speech made by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, the f ounder of Lashkar-e-Toiba terror group that staged the 2008 Mumbai attacks and w ho roams freely in Pakistan. "We have received a letter from IB about a threat from a terrorist outfit ahead

of August 15," Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) SN Srivastava told a news agency. "Delhi has been put on high alert and security has been beefed up in markets, cr owded places, high rise buildings and government offices following the alert," h e said. Saeed has reportedly called for an attack on one of the national capital's famou s monuments, Red Fort. The Lashkar-e-Toiba founder led Eid al-Fitr prayers at Gaddafi stadium in Lahore today. Before leading the prayers, Saeed had tweeted Eid greetings with a strong anti-I ndia message. The ties between India and Pakistan became more tense when five Indian soldiers were killed along the Line of Control by the Pakistani troops earlier this week. VALSAD: Security has been beefed up in the south Gujarat district after inputs f rom Intelligence Bureau (IB) that around 13 alleged terrorists are suspected to have entered the district via sea-route, a senior police official said here toda y. "We have received an input stating that some 13 alleged terrorists are suspected to have entered the district through the coast. We have stepped up surveillance ," Valsad Superintendent of Police Nipuna Torwane told PTI. An emergency meeting of the district police officials was called today to discus s the intelligence input, following which a decision was taken to intensify the combing and patrolling operations here, she said. "We have intensified patrolling and combing operations at all public places like railway stations, bus stands, coastal areas. We are also checking hotels," Torw ane added. People, particularly fishermen, have been asked to remain vigilant and report to the police if they come across any suspicious activities or persons. The IB inputs in the southern district of the state comes after central security agencies had said yesterday that Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group mi ght carry out an attack in Delhi. Lying close to 350 km south of Ahmedabad, Valsad borders Maharashtra and shares a major chunk of Gujarat's 1,600-km long coastline that runs across Saurashtra a nd the Gulf of Kutch. In 1993, a huge cache of RDX had landed on the coast of Valsad, which was subseq uently used to trigger serial blasts in Mumbai that year.

Pakistan cancels pilgrims' visit to Delhi due to security reasons NEW DELHI: Pakistan said on Wednesday it has cancelled the visit of pilgrims to the annual gathering of Hazrat Amir Khusro in Delhi due to security reasons. The Pakistan high commission said in a statement that the Aug 22-29 visit has be en cancelled due to security reasons.

On Tuesday, external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said that Ind ia takes a holistic view whenever approached for visas. "As a matter of abundant precaution and caution we advised that the zaireen (pil grims to Urs) defer their visit to New Delhi under the current circumstances." Ties between New Delhi and Islamabad have taken a hit in the recent days after P akistani troops killed five Indian soldiers last week in Poonch on the Line of C ontrol, leading to anger in India and calls to call off talks with Pakistan. The re have also been repeated violations of the ceasefire on the LoC.

Pakistan parliament passes anti-India resolution ISLAMABAD: Even as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif talks of peace with India, Pakist an's National Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution accusing Indian troops of "unprovoked aggression" on the LoC and extending support to the "struggle" of th e Kashmiri people. The resolution, a senior leader effective steps e atmosphere by moved by Pakistani science and technology minister Zahid Hamid, of the ruling PML-N, endorsed Sharif's "forceful statement" for to ensure the ceasefire on the line of control and to improve th engaging constructively to build trust and confidence.

"This house forcefully reiterates that while Pakistan is committed to working fo r peace with its neighbours, it remains steadfast in its resolve to fully defend its sovereignty, territorial borders and national interests. "It salutes its brave and valiant armed forces and assures them of its fullest s upport in achieving this objective," said the resolution passed unanimously by t he lower house of parliament. The resolution condemned the "unprovoked aggression by Indian military forces ac ross the LoC in recent days". "It also condemns the attacks on the Pakistan high commission and the demonstrat ions outside the PIA offices in New Delhi, and the efforts to prevent the Friend ship Bus from proceeding to Pakistan. It deplores the unjustified public vilific ation of Pakistan in the Indian media," it said. The National Assembly reiterated that Pakistan "shall continue to extend diploma tic, political and moral support for the just and legitimate struggle of the Kas hmiri people for the realisation of their right to self-determination, as enshri ned in the UN security council resolutions". Referring to Sharif's remarks on keeping peace along the LoC, the resolution cal led on the government "to clearly convey to the government of India the necessit y to respect and uphold the ceasefire agreement of 2003 in letter and spirit". BJP tonight termed as "anti-India" the resolution passed by Pakistan National As sembly accusing Indian troops of "unprovoked agressision" on the LoC and extendi ng support to the "struggle" of Kashmiri people and asked the Centre to disappro ve of it immediately. "Pakistan's resolution in the National Assembly is anti-India...The government o f India must disapprove of immediately the resolution passed by the Assembly", B JP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said. He said the resolution shows that Pakistan's "whole politics depends on anti-Ind ia rhetoric".

Javadekar said ceasefire violations by Pakistan and giving cover to infiltration , ambushing Indian soldiers and instigating separatists to launch anti-India agi tations were "absolutely unacceptable". Pakistan's National Assembly today passed a resolution accusing Indian troops of "unprovoked aggression" on the LoC and extending support to the "struggle" of t he Kashmiri people. The resolution, moved by Science and Technology Minister Zahid Hamid, a senior l eader of ruling PML-N, condemned the "unprovoked aggression by Indian military f orces across the LoC in recent days" and reiterated that Pakistan "shall continu e to extend diplomatic, political and moral support for the just and legitimate struggle of the Kashmiri people".