Pakistan seeks airline office's security after threats

Pakistan Monday requested the Indian government to ensure security and safety of offices of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in India even as a signboard of the airline was defaced and a pamphlet threatening to shut down the office was put up.

The Pakistan High Commission Monday requested the Indian authorities to ensure safety and security of the PIA offices in Delhi and Mumbai following threats, purportedly by the Shiv Sena, to shut them down.

Some unidentified people defaced the signboard of the PIA office here by painting it black and pasted a pamphlet over it threatening to shut the office, police said Monday.

PIA officials lodged a complaint at the Barakhamba Road police station against unidentified people for defacing property and threatening.

The incident came to light Monday morning when PIA officials arrived at the office and found the board painted black.

"We are yet to ascertain when the board was defaced as the PIA office was closed since Friday for Eid," Deputy Commissioner of Police S.B.S. Tyagi told IANS.

The official said a pamphlet was pasted at the office gate, asking the Pakistani officials to leave in the wake of killing of five Indian soldiers last week in Poonch by Pakistani troops.

According to the official, the pamphlet said it was from Delhi Shiv Sena.

"We are screening the CCTV footage of the PIA office building and trying to identify the culprits," said Tyagi.