RAWALPINDI: Fearing retaliation from the militants to military operation in tribal areas, the government has placed the security of all 36 airports of the country on the red alert.

According to sources, security of the major airports, including Benazir Bhutto International Airpor and Nur Khan Airbase, had been heightened on Tuesday but the extra caution was extended to all the airports of the country.

Though the security had been beefed up at airports, the passengers were being handled smoothly, a senior security official told Dawn.

`The passengers have not been experiencing any sort of disruption due to the red alert,` a senior official of airport management said and added the flights were on schedule.

He, however, said the temporary passes for the visitors had been cancelled while people entering into the airport premises were being subjected to questioning and search.

As part of the heightened security, checking of vehicles entering into the airport area was being carried out with the help of explosive detectors.

Except for the passengers and the person on the driving seat, extra people were being asked to get off the vehicles at the entry gate.

Besides, patrolling by the ASF personnel has been increased and extra security personnel were deployed at important places to avert anything unusual.-Staff Reporter