RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD, Sept 25: The city police on Thursday were desperately hunting for two suspected would-be suicide bombers, who travelled in a rented car to Faizabad from where they disappeared, officials said.

However, the law enforcers picked up the owner of the vehicle and its driver, and started investigating them to trace a clue to the suspects.

Late night raids were also conducted but all efforts to catch the alleged bombers proved futile.

DSP Civil Lines Raja Taifoor, when contacted, said the two detainees –the owner of a car showroom and the driver – were taken into custody by the police in light of information provided to them by their high-ups.

“There has been intelligence that the two persons, who had travelled in the vehicle, were talking about striking at important buildings in the city.

The police traced the car and took its driver and the owner into custody,” DSP Taifoor said.

Regional Police Officer (RPO) Nasir Khan Durrani confirmed that two people had been arrested and they were being questioned by the police.

The arrests came at the same time when emergency services and security agencies were put on red alert at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport after a threat call.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad police were directed to seal off the federal capital for the night on Thursday to conduct “special checking”, sources told Dawn.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Asghar Raza Gardezi directed all the police officers – SPs, SDPOs and SHOs – to cordon off their respective areas and conduct searches from 9pm to 3am.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ahmed Latif was supervising the operation, while the IGP was also monitoring the steps taken by the police, the sources said.

The federal capital was put on red alert following information the suspected terrorists might try to enter the city to strike high-profile targets. Besides, the personnel at the pickets were also asked to intercept the explosive-laden vehicles which were believed to have entered Islamabad.

During the last four days, the government claimed that three car bombs and six suicide attackers entered the city.

There has been a general hold-up in the city after Saturday’s Marriott bombing, and the police are conducting search operations to trace suspects and to avert any untoward incident.