A suicide bomber Tuesday evening blew himself up in the parking area of the Islamabad International Airport (IIA), killing two security officials and wounding five others.
An official of the Airport Security Force (ASF) talking to KUNA on the condition of anonymity said that a suicide bomber and his two accomplices reached the airport in a taxi.
When the trio was stopped at the main gate by the Airport Security Force (ASF) officials for checking, his two accomplices started running toward the VIP lounge while the suicide bomber detonated the explosive belt, said the official.
He said the explosion seriously wounded two ASF officials and five others including three passengers. He added that two ASF officials succumbed to injuries on way to the hospital.
The official said further that the two wounded accomplices of suicide bomber were arrested after an exchange of fire with ASF officials. There were also reports that the two accomplices hurled three hand-grenades at ASF officials but only one could explode.
Only few minutes after the incident, a plane carrying Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Federal Information Minister, Ahmed Durrani, landed at the airport. Some reports suggested it was an attempt on the life of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz but the information minister rejected such reports.
An intelligence source said that the three were suspected militants of an Al-Qaeda linked outfit and apparently seemed to be Afghan nationals in their early 30s. However, no official confirmation was available.
Immediately after the latest suicide explosion in the high security zone of the capital, all airports were given red security alert. The airport is located only few kilometers from the military airbase and Pakistan AirForce (PAF) ammunition depot.
The airport had been strictly cordoned off and the traffic diverted. All scheduled domestic and International flights were suspended temporarily.
Pakistan has been hit by fresh wave of suicide explosions. Two days before the Ashura day, last month, a suicide bomber blew himself up in the parking area of Marriott hotel, killing a security guard and wounding seven others.
Two suicide explosions in Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan cities of North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) killed over 15 and wounded over two dozen others.
Source: KUNA
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