Bomb hoax at Peshawar airport delays Dubai-bound flight

PESHAWAR: All passengers were offloaded as a flight of the Shaheen Air International was stopped for checking after reports that a bomb has been placed onboard.
The flight number NL-786 was carrying around 116 passengers to Dubai from the Bacha Khan International Airport, Peshawar. Heavy security contingents besieged the plane immediately after receipt of a hoax call about the presence of a bomb in the bag of one of the passengers.
A source said the plane was directed to return to the tarmac from the runway. Also, all the flight operations were suspended immediately. The passengers were offloaded as the members of the bomb disposal unit entered the plane to search for the explosives. However, they did not find any bomb.
An official at the airport said the plane that was scheduled to take off at 2:30pm for Dubai left around 5pm. Security in the vicinity of the airport in Peshawar has already been increased following threats of militant attacks.
More checkpoints of police and the army have been set up on the roads leading to the airport and all the vehicles are being checked. Passengers and those coming to see off and receive them have to wait long to cross these barriers.