Panic gripped Islamabad International Airport (IIA) here on Thursday when a hoax call was received at the PIA head office in Karachi, threatening that suicide bombers have entered the airport and may detonate an explosive device any time.
Complete security alert was in effect inside and outside the airport and heavy contingent of police, Airport Security Force (ASF) and other law-enforcement agencies cordoned off the area. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) officials told reporters that some unknown caller made a phone call to PIA head office in Karachi, and said that the Islamabad airport would be blown up in a suicide attack at 12:40 pm on Thursday.
The threat came just four days after the deadly truck bombing at the Marriott Hotel on Saturday in which over 70 people were killed and over 200 injured. After this call, all the airports in the country, including Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Multan, were put on high alert.
Police, CAA, ASF, rescuers and fire fighters of Rescue 1122, Edhi ambulance, fire tenders of CDA and civic bodies of Rawalpindi reached the airport and after more than three hours search, the police gave a green signal, while the ASF continued the search operation.
Passengers were allowed entry during the search operation, though visitors were barred, but only after photo identification, the CAA officials said. Flight schedule remained undisturbed throughout the search operation. Sudden cordoning off by police and other security agencies caused panic among people who were present at the airport, including the employees of CAA and different airlines and cargo agencies, passengers and relatives of passengers and visitors. Women and children started weeping and were being consoled by officials.
All the offices, parking areas and lounges were evacuated and security officials undertook a complete search and screening of the airport building. The passengers were immediately taken to a safe place after a PIA flight arrived here from Birmingham.
Police force, led by SSP, Operations, Rawalpindi, Sardar Maqsood, and Colonel Muhammad Faiz, Chief Security Officer of the airport led the search operation, which began at 10:15am and continued till 1:00pm. Sardar Maqsood told reporters that after a thorough search police did not find any explosives and the airport building was cleared for routine flights.
In contrast, the ASF officials were not convinced with the search, and stated they would continue the search operation for complete screening of airport. They said that these threats were being taken seriously to avoid any untoward incident and loss of life and material.
Airport Manager Ayaz Mehmood Jadoon told reporters that situation was completely under control and there was no delay in airport traffic and no flight was delayed. He dispelled the impression of taking aircraft to isolated places, saying that no such measures were taken as there was no need for any such measures.
Security is already on high alert at the airport and it was further enhanced, Jadoon added. In February 2007, a suicide bomber opened fire near the VIP lounge of the Islamabad Airport before blowing himself up with a hand grenade, injuring three people.