LAHORE: Security was beefed up at the Allama Iqbal Airport and its adjacent old airport following terror attack on the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, with additional deployment of security personnel and enhanced patrol on Monday.

The Airport Security Force (ASF) deployed its reserved force at the Lahore airport and set up more pickets in the area while the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) increased security at the old airport which is under its control.

“The ASF today enhanced security at all points from where the infiltration could be possible,” an official told Dawn. He said over 150 reserved personnel had been deployed at the airport.

Similarly, the Civil Aviation Authority also held a meeting with the ASF and the immigration wing of the Federal Investigation Agency and worked out a strategy to enhance security.

Police raised security level at outer cordon of the airport and began checking motorists entering and exiting the airport. They covered the areas with weak security like the Bahadur Shah Road, entry to the airport from Lahore Ring Road and wall along the old airport (generally used for VVIP movement), stretchable to the new airport.

Cantonment SP (Operations) Sarfraz Ahmad Khan Virk told Dawn that two police pickets, comprising 20 policemen, on the main entry and exit points had been set up at a distance of 300 meter from the ASF picket outside the airport. He said officials were discharging their duty in three shifts, adding that four police vehicles, including two Elite Police vehicles, were also patrolling around the airport round-the-clock.

The SP said 20 officials in three shifts had been deployed at North and South sides of funnel area (where the plane gets closer to ground while taking off or landing) to avert any infiltration.

Mr Virk said first search operation at Ali Park, Bhatta Chowk, (South of the airport) had been launched from 9pm to check suspicious elements and objects and it would be expanded to the adjacent residential schemes and localities.

The SP said personnel were actively checking identity cards of officials of different agencies attached with the airport duty at outer tier, adding the ASF officials were making certain verifications at inner tier. He said the Garrison Security Force of Pakistan Army also enhanced its patrol and deployment in and around the airport, adding patrol on all roads leading to the airport had been enhanced to avert any untoward incident.

Meanwhile, Capital City Police Officer Chaudhry Shafique Ahmad visited the airport, all roads leading to the airport and various other areas of the city and directed divisional SPs to enhance patrol and deploy additional force both in uniform and civvies at grey points. He directed the headquarters SP to dispatch 300 policemen who recently completed commando training and was part of the Quick Response Force (Punch Force) to all divisional SPs for security duties.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2014