Pakistan tightens energy sites' security

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- The rising violence in Pakistan has led Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari's government to tighten security at many of the country's energy facilities.

Nawa-e Waqt reported Tuesday that the army had deployed troops to Chasma in Punjab, whose Mianwali District on the left bank of the Indus River contains Chashma Nuclear Power Plants 1 and 2, the Chashma Hydroelectric Barrage. The army has been deployed to other strategic installations as well to forestall possible terrorist attacks. The troops have instituted strict monitoring at all entry points for the energy installations, with laborers and employees only being allowed to enter after thorough searches.

As a further precaution the border adjacent to the Chashma facilities on both the Punjab and North-West Frontier province sides has been cordoned off, with travelers coming from both provinces being strictly checked and suspects apprehended.

The Chashma Nuclear Power Plants 1 and 2 each contain a 300 megawatt nuclear reactor, and currently two other plants, CHASHNUPP-3 and CHASHNUPP-4, are in the planning stages.