close
Wednesday December 04, 2024

Security beefed up on roads leading to Karachi airport

Police close off road leading from Model Colony towards airport, establish checkpoints on others

By Kashif Mushtaq
November 13, 2024
Police personnel stop commuters at a checkpoint on a road leading towards Karachi airport, on November 13, 2024. — Reporter
Police personnel stop commuters at a checkpoint on a road leading towards Karachi airport, on November 13, 2024. — Reporter

Karachi police have blocked a road leading to the airport and set up checkpoints on other routes, tightening security after last month's terrorist attack that killed two Chinese citizens near the airport.

Police officials said that security has been tightened around the airport, with checkpoints set up along routes from Star Gate and Pehlwan Goth to Jinnah Terminal.

Whereas, the road from Model Colony to Jinnah Terminal has been closed, with traffic now diverted to Sharea Faisal.

The development came a day after Geo News reported that the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) is set to introduce stricter entry requirements as part of measures to ramp up security at the airport of the country's mega city.

The move comes in the backdrop of last month's suicide attack which killed a total of three people, including two Chinese engineers, and injured at least 16 others.

New regulations mandate that anyone showing up at the airport to receive or see off passengers must present a copy of the traveller's ticket at security checkpoints, said sources.

Under the new directives from the PAA, airport entry will be granted to a maximum of four individuals accompanying each passenger, the sources said, adding that entry will be denied without a ticket copy.

Additionally, those arriving to receive passengers must carry their national identity cards, which will be required for verification at security checkpoints while entering the airport's premises.

Meanwhile, the road closures has not only affected the traffic flow on the Model Colony road, but is also causing problems for airlines staff, passengers, and employees in reaching the airport.

A day earlier, Sindh Home Minister Zia Ul Hassan Lanjar announced the arrest of the airport attack's mastermind along with two other facilitators, including a woman.

Speaking at a press conference, the minister said that Javed alias Sami was the mastermind behind the deadly explosion and was apprehended along with woman facilitator Gul Nisa from RCD highway which connects Karachi to Quetta.