PESHAWAR: A Dubai-bound Shaheen Air International flight was delayed for hours at the Baacha Khan International Airport (BKIA) on Monday because of a bomb threat alert.

Officials at the BKIA told Dawn that the Shaheen Air International flight NL-786 was about to depart for Dubai when its passengers were off-loaded by officials concerned following the bomb threat alert.

The officials said the threat had been received by security agencies and the plane was evacuated and was searched by bomb disposal unit personnel. They cleared the plane after a thorough search.

A Shaheen Air International official said the flight with 163 passengers was scheduled to depart at around 2:30pm. It later departed at around 6:00pm.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2015