ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- In the aftermath of the foiled Aug. 10 airliner bombing plot, the United States has banned direct flights from Pakistan to U.S. airports.
Parliamentary Secretary Syed Tanveer Hussain told the National Assembly on Friday that the ban is because of U.S. concerns about security arrangements at Pakistani airports.
Hussain said that although Pakistan believes that it has stringent security arrangements at its airports, U.S. authorities are "not satisfied." Hussain added that the Bush administration pledged to help Pakistan enhance security at its airports.
Dawn reported Aug. 14 that Pakistan has lifted its prohibition on hand baggage on international flights but passengers are still barred from carrying liquids.
Pakistani authorities have deployed additional armed police to airports in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore.
Pakistani intelligence was crucial in unraveling the bomb plot in Britain by ethnic Pakistanis, in which airliners heading to the United States were to be destroyed.
On Aug. 9 Pakistani security agents arrested British citizen Rashid Rauf in Pakistan, after which an associate of Rauf's in Karachi called a man in Britain, asking him to go ahead with the planned attacks on passenger jets with liquid explosives.
