Security officials, meanwhile, monitored funeral prayers to ascertain the identity of six bombers who blew themselves up in various attacks in the country since January 26.

"Limit your activities and do not attend any function if you are not sure about the credentials of the host or invitees there," Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz reportedly communicated to his cabinet ministers.

The ministers were asked to carry more security personnel with them while visiting markets and public places along with their families.

The precautionary measures suggest that the government has enough intelligence inputs, The Nation reported on Friday.

Pakistan was rocked by a spate of attacks by suicide bombers ever since January 26 after a bomber exploded at the emergency exit of Marriot hotel in Islamabad, hours before the Indian Republic Day reception.

Suicide attacks also took place in Peshawar, Bannu and later at the Islamabad airport.

The surge in suicide attacks has put security agencies' focus on funeral prayers, especially the ones offered in the absence of dead bodies which was called ghaibana namaz-e-janaza, Daily Times reported.

This was the part of strategy followed by police in NWFP to identify the bombers that have carried out attacks and to determine which group they were attached to, it said.

The funeral prayers in the absence of dead bodies were suspected of being offered for suicide bombers, and one such gathering in Mulazai village on the outskirts of Peshawar on Wednesday was under security agencies' scrutiny.

With suicide bombers leaving little evidence behind, such gatherings are seen as one of the few ways for investigators to reach the perpetrators of the crime.

"We are investigating whether the funeral prayers in Mulazai village were offered for the bomber who blew himself up in Islamabad on January 26," an official said.

Undercover agents from all security services were among hundreds present at Wednesday's funeral prayers for Muhammad Amin (29), a resident of Mulazai village, who was associated with Al-Rashid Trust in the absence of his body.

"Yes, the prayers were offered for our brother Amin," Rahat Sher told the newspaper. Rahat said Al-Rashid Trust had told their family that Amin "embraced shahadat".

"No, the trust did not say whether Amin was killed in a suicide mission or a gunbattle.

"I think he died in Kashmir, as he spent much of his time with Al-Rashid Trust while assisting earthquake relief activities in Kashmir and NWFP," he said.

However, residents of the area said they had heard from Amin's close relatives that he "...blew himself up in Afghanistan to target Americans."