Pakistani capital on high alert after a series of attacks

ISLAMABAD – Pakistani officials say the capital Islamabad and other parts of the country have been put on high alert after a series of militant attacks.

Police officer Zahid Awan says Monday that extra checkpoints have been set up and patrols intensified in the capital.

The Pakistani Taliban and their allied Islamic militants have carried out a string of suicide bombings in recent weeks, killing over 125 people. The government has responded with an intensified crackdown on militant hideouts and support networks.

Government spokesman Mohammad Ahmad Khan says that Pakistani paramilitary forces have been conducting raids in Punjab province and an army statement says that nearly 600 suspects have been detained in recent days.