IIA lacks bomb disposal squad

Report says airport surrounded by forest with no boundary wall

ISLAMABAD:

Despite being a sensitive government facility, the Islamabad International Airport (IIA) does not have a bomb disposal squad, said a report of intelligence agencies.

The intelligence agencies in a report sent last month to the relevant government departments had expressed concerns over lack of a bomb disposal squad (BDS) at the IIA since its establishment two years ago.

Following this, the issue was brought into the notice of Rawalpindi Regional Police Officer (RPO) Sohail Habib Tajik. The RPO has summoned a report from the Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) Muhammad Ahsan Younus and Attock District Police Officer (DPO).

The report added that the being the first greenfield airport of the country, the IIA is surrounded by forests while there were no proper roads along its boundary walls as well.

The IIA is at a fair distance from Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Attock districts which would stretch the time for the rescuers to reach there in case of an emergency.

Further, the report stated that, similarly, it would take BDS around an hour to reach the IIA in case of information, which was thus wrong.

The intelligence agencies have suggested round the clock deployment of BDS at the airport for quick response in case of an emergency.

Further, in light of the report, Rawalpindi RPO has ordered CPO and DPO of Rawalpindi and Attock respectively to submit a report on the measures taken to address the sensitive security issue.

The internal security of IIA is the responsibility of the Airport Security Force (ASF) while the Islamabad and Attock police ensure security around the outside premises. The IIA officials said that as of now, a bomb-proof blanket is used to cover any suspected unattended luggage or box and it is then stored in a bomb-proof dash established at the airport.

However, the airport officials emphasised too that the BDS should be present there round the clock.

The Express Tribune attempted to speak to the Aviation Division Spokesperson Abdul Sattar Khokar and IIA Manager but both officials could not be reached.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21^st, 2020.