ASF release passenger arrested on suspicion of terrorism in Lahore

Passenger's wife, alleged lover wrongly tip-off airport security using stolen phone.

LAHORE: A passenger was arrested on suspicion of terrorism from a private flight at Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore but was released after initial investigation.

Airport Security management received a call on Monday warning them that a suspect flying in from Muscat would land at the airport Tuesday morning and could possibly blow up the aircraft after landing, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Following this, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) asked Airport Security Force (ASF) to make arrangements for the arrest of the accused, identified as Shah Dildar Khan. Upon landing, ASF cordoned off the plane and arrested the 40-year-old after identification for interrogation, an ASF official said.

Upon investigation, the security forces discovered that Dildar’s brother Shahnawaz Khan had called the airport security claiming Dildar was a terrorist and planned to blow up the plane. Dildar claimed that his family members were only doing this due to a family feud.

Express News reported that the CAA had submitted a request to file a case against Shahnawaz after the claim was proven wrong.

However, further investigation revealed that Dildar’s wife Sonya and her alleged paramour Kashif stole Shahnawaz’s phone and used it to tip-off the airport security personnel.

After the investigations, Dildar was handed over to local police and was later released after being proven innocent.

Flight operations

The flight schedule was briefly interrupted as the other 300 passengers on-board were evacuated for their safety. Flight operations at the airport were later resumed as scheduled.

Airports throughout the country were put on high-alert after a brazen attack on Karachi airport took place on June 8. Thirty seven people, including 10 militants and 12 ASF personnel, were killed after an all-night battle at the airport’s old terminal. This was the first large-scale terrorist attack on the country’s largest airport in years.