Panic once again gripped Islamabad international airport on Thursday when a veiled suspected suicide bomber was arrested by the Airport Security Force (ASF) officials during search. Following recovery of a bag from the possession of the suspected bomber, red-alert was announced in and outside the airport to make a search operation to avoid any untoward incident, the ASF sources told Business Recorder.
The suspected suicide bomber was clad in a Burqa when security officials got suspicious and stopped him for security check. When asked to remove veil, he refused to do so, but when the veil was removed forcefully, the security officials found a bearded man under Burqa, the security officials said, adding that the suspect was taken into custody by ASF and other law-enforcement agencies for investigation.
They declined to announce the name of the suspect, saying that it would cause hurdles in investigation to reach the entire network. Police and the ASF officials started complete search of the airport to check if there is any other collaborator of the suspect at the airport.
Sudden cordoning off by police and other security agencies caused panic among people, who were present at the airport, including employees of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and different airlines and cargo agencies, passengers and relatives of passengers. Women and children started crying and were being consoled by the officials.
It was second time during last two weeks, when the security at airport was put on high alert and a full search operation was launched. It is pertinent to note that on September 25, a hoax call was received at PIA 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, ASF and other law-enforcement agencies cordoned off the area.