RAWALPINDI, Sept 5: Panic gripped security officials after they spotted an unattended suspicious bag lying along the VVIP route near Gulzar-i-Quaid moments before the prime minister’s motorcade drove to the airport on Wednesday, Dawn has learnt.

The unattended bag was spotted along the VVIP route at a time when the nervous city was reeling from Tuesday’s suicide bombings followed by recovery of another such bag containing explosive material in a high security zone.

A security source said a police sub-inspector deployed on special duty had spotted the bag at about 5.30pm while sweeping the VVIP route before Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz’s arrival at the airport to leave for Lahore.

He said senior police officials rushed to the scene and seized the bag. The security officials took a sigh of relief after they found 3kg charas lying in the bag, the source said.

Later, the VVIP route was declared clear and the bag handed over to the Airport police.