ISLAMABAD, May 5: Pakistan on Wednesday claimed to have uncovered a plot to hijack a plane from Islamabad to the United Arab Emirates. According to reports on private TV channels, the claim was made by Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali during an interview with a foreign news agency.

One of the TV channels quoted an official of the Ministry of Interior as saying that people behind the foiled attempt had been traced. The ministry official also said that the hijack attempt justified the 'red alert' declared at all international airports on Tuesday and belied allegations levelled by certain quarters that the alert was aimed at stopping Pakistan Muslim League(N) president Mian Shahbaz Sharif from landing in Pakistan.

Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Ashfaq Gondal told Dawn on late Wednesday night that the prime minister had told a foreign news agency that a "small terror cell" was planning to hijack a plane to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and "possibly blow it up".

Mr Gondal said the prime minister was responding to a question regarding the government's decision to place the country's airports on red alert. According to Mr Gondal, the prime minister said that it had come to the knowledge of the government that "probably there is a group of four to six people who might try to hijack a plane flying towards the United Arab Emirates."

Intelligence reports indicated that the hijackers wanted "to blow it up" or do something like that. Mr Jamali, according to Mr Gondal, did not say anything about the identity of the hijackers.

"Hijackers have no nationality," the prime minister said when specifically asked whether the hijackers belonged to Al Qaeda or they were Pakistanis.

"Naturally, when one gets some hint about a plot or one gets a feeler or is informed directly or indirectly, I think this high alert is a must," Mr Jamali said justifying the decision to place all airports of the country on red alert.