Security zones around foreign missions

"We have decided to bring certain areas which remained under constant threat from the terrorists like the US consulate and other foreign missions under high security zones," Karachi police chief Tariq Jamil told AFP.

Crack police commandos would be deployed and emergency centres would be established in the zones, in which roads could easily be closed in case of any threat, he said.

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"These areas will have special status as far as security is concerned," Jamil said.

"The decision has been taken as in the past two years there have been suicide bombings and terrorist attacks, besides constant threats," he said.

Areas around the local headquarters of army, police and paramilitary rangers, the Karachi port and the government headquarters will also be classed high security, he said.

Meanwhile, the chief minister in Pakistan's southern Sindh province is to resign after a month of bloodshed in Karachi claimed 51 lives and sparked three days of riots, the government said yesterday.

"The decision on the new chief minister is due today. I can't confirm the name, but (chief minister Ali Mohammad) Maher is going," Information Minister Sheikh Rashid told AFP.