Security beefed up at UN offices in Pakistan

The United Nations has beefed up security at its offices in Pakistan in the wake of a suicide car bombing outside the Danish embassy here, an official said in Islamabad.

Security at UN offices has been beefed up as a precautionary measure to ward off any danger to the organisation's staff and property, Amena Kamaal, Communication Advisor to the UN Resident Director, told the Daily Times.

Kamaal rejected the claim that UN offices had been temporarily closed due to the security situation in Pakistan. She said only selected staff members had been asked to stop attending offices for a week.

"Selected staffers have been asked to stay away, but continue to operate from their homes as work is going on inside some of the buildings," Kamaal said.

These staffers would start attending office once the work in the buildings is completed, she added.

Eight persons were killed and over 20 injured when a suicide bomber blew up his explosive-laden vehicle outside the Danish embassy here on June 2.

The blast also caused extensive damage to the office of a UN-funded non-governmental organisation.