Flashing motorbike light causes scare at Karachi airport

A panic-like situation was witnessed at the Karachi airport on Tuesday when Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) staff witnessed a device installed on a motorcycle parked in the parking area.

Officials said that during a routine inspection at about 3:15pm, CAA vigilance and cargo terminal staff heard a beep from blinking lights coming from a cotton pouch hanging from a motorbike parked at Domestic Cargo gate.

They immediately informed the security staff, who along with Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) officials, rushed to the scene. The BDS experts cordoned off the premises and were able to disconnect the power to the unit and then defused the device.

Later, BDS officials confirmed that the device did not contain any explosive material but it had flammable material which could have caused only a fire. The motorbike was impounded by the Airport police station. The area was later declared clear by the BDS officials.

Talking to The News, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Irfan Ali Bahadur of District Malir said that they had verified the motorcycle and called the owner, Sundeep Kumar, who worked as security guard at Royal Airport Services and said he had got the flashing device installed at the Chota Gate, Malir, and that “it is just a flashing device”.

He added the police went to the shop where it was verified by the mechanic that he had installed the device, which worked as flashing device for motorcycles. The BDS also submitted the same report and the motorcycle was returned to the owner, who freed after the investigation.