Peshawar Civil Secretariat 'evacuated' over security concerns

The Peshawar Civil Secretariat has been ordered to be evacuated immediately due to security concerns, ARY News reported on Friday, citing sources.

Sources within the secretariat said all offices located in the Peshawar Civil Secretariat are being vacated.

Most employees and officers working at the Civil Secretariat have left their offices following the evacuation directive. Police confirmed that the Civil Secretariat was evacuated due to security concerns.

According to police, the Civil Secretariat has been closed in view of security threats. All offices have been cleared and employees have been granted leave, police said.

Read more: Pakistan ‘shoots down eight Afghan drones’ near Torkham, Kohat

On September 23, Pakistan shot down eight drones in its airspace, launched from Afghanistan, security sources said.

The security sources said the Pakistan Army’s active and vigilant air defence system intercepted and brought down all eight drones.

According to the sources, the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force professionally foiled what they described as a “cowardly attempt”.

Four drones were brought down in areas adjoining the Torkham border, while the remaining four were intercepted in mountainous areas near Kohat, the sources said.

Security sources claimed that the alleged intrusion by the Afghan Taliban authorities was evidence of their support for terrorists.

They added that Pakistan’s armed forces had destroyed several positions of the Afghan Taliban in the Kurram sector last night.

According to the sources, the Taliban positions were targeted in response to what they described as provocative firing.

Read more: Pakistan Army responds to unprovoked Afghan Taliban firing in Kurram

Following the failure of the infiltration attempt, Afghan Taliban forces opened fire on Pakistani border posts using heavy weapons, mortars and other arms, security sources said.