KARACHI, Nov 8: A school van driver was arrested and six schoolchildren who had been taken hostage by him were secured by police on Thursday afternoon after the driver attempted to make his way to the Quaid-i-Azam International Airport.

According to the police, the driver appeared to be mentally disturbed.

“The driver, later identified as Chan Zeb, called up the father of one of the children in the van and directed him to make arrangements to open the gate of the airport otherwise he would ram his vehicle, along with the children, into the airport,” SP Shah Faisal Javed Meher told Dawn, adding that the police feared that the driver might have had a bomb.

The children belonged to the Beaconhouse junior branch located in Gulistan-i-Jauhar’s Block 16-A. The driver made the call to Mr Sarmad, whose child was in the van, after school hours. After receiving the call, Mr Sarmad informed the police on Helpline 15.

A police cordon was placed at the approach of the Jinnah Terminal anticipating the school van.

Shortly afterwards, police intercepted the van at the Jinnah Terminal traffic signal and nabbed the driver. The children were secured from the van but the police decided not to touch the vehicle fearing a booby trap.

The bomb disposal unit, who were already requisitioned, combed the school van for some hours and finally declared it clean.

“We handed over the children to their anxious parents after securing them safely from the school van,” SP Meher added. The driver, Chan Zeb, who the police claimed hailed from the Hazara division, was taken to the police station for interrogation, where, according to Mr Meher, he gave his correct address but seemed to be out of his senses.

“His motive is not clear. He was not able to tell us why he attempted to drive to the airport along with the children,” the Shah Faisal SP told Dawn.

A senior police officer remarked that in the aftermath of Thursday’s incident, a more careful approach is needed towards school vans, as the suspect — even in his questionable state of mind — had floated the idea of terrorism.