All airports in Pakistan put on red alret after bomb hoax in Islamabad.
Civil Aviation Authority termed the threat of suicide bomb attack at Benazir Bhutto Shaheed International Airport as hoax and cleared the airport after thorough long search of three hours.
There was panic everywhere in the twin cities. I called my colleague Khalid Mehmood, who is reporter of emerging TV channel Express News, for consultancy on professional issue.
He stunned me to inform that suicide bomber has intruded in the premises of Islamabad airport and I am on the way to airport.
Life was standstill in and around the busiest area of airport and adjacent military cantonment that houses General Headquarters [GHQ] of Pakistan Army.
Deputy Airport Manager Ghaffar Mughal told that Karachi information centre of national flag carrier official airline, Pakistan International Airlines [PIA] received a threat call Thursday morning about a suicide bomb attack at the Islamabad airport 12.20 to 12.50 in the noon [local time].
“An anonymous caller informed a bomber was present inside airport building to blow him up”, he told.
He claimed that the security officials, after taking all measures, and without disturbing the passengers scanned the airport area and found the telephone call a hoax.
"The search operation has been completed and we are conscious while security at the airport has further been beefed up," Mughal told official news agency associated press of Pakistan [APP].
He said that three or four domestic and international flights were scheduled for arrival and departure at that time and all were operated without any disturbance to the passengers, adding that only non-passengers were not allowed to enter premises of the airport at the time of search operation.
Earlier, reported presence of a suicide bomber created panic at Islamabad Airport that was immediately cordoned off by heavy contingent of police and other law enforcement agencies.
Security was put on high-alert in the metropolis during the search operation.