Pakistani airports put on high alert

[Abbas Ali]

By Baqir Sajjad Syed

ISLAMABAD, Jan 26: All airports in the country were put on high alert on Friday afternoon following a suicide bombing near a hotel in the federal capital. Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Pervez George confirmed the stepped up security at airports and said the move was a natural consequence of the attack on the hotel, although there was no specific threat to any of the airports.

Security was tightened to the highest level at about 3pm at the airports, Airport Security Force (ASF) sources said. All vehicles entering airport premises were being searched thoroughly and all visitors and the CCA and airlines’ staff were subject to body and baggage searches. Because of this long queues could be seen outside the airports.

"No one is being exempted from body search except for the few who have been officially notified by the government and they too have to get their luggage searched manually," Islamabad Airport Manager Ashfaq Sial said.

Additionally, security forces were stationed at strategic points around the terminals.

Source: DAWN