According to Privatisation Commission officials, PIA now has positive equity of Rs30 billion, the 18% sales tax on aircraft leases has been waived, and international routes have also been cleared. Photo: file
A Pakistan International Airlines flight en route from Jeddah to Lahore made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a technical alert was received mid-air, triggering the deployment of oxygen masks and causing panic among passengers, including dozens of Umrah pilgrims.
According to the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) spokesperson, flight PK-860 was scheduled to land at Lahore airport at 8pm, however, it diverted to Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport due to a technical issue. Officials say the plane was carrying 381 passengers.
The pilot successfully carried out an emergency landing at Dammam airport, where emergency protocols were activated. During the landing, oxygen masks were automatically deployed inside the cabin, and all passengers were safely disembarked shortly afterwards.
Read: PIA returns to UK skies after five years
PIA management arranged an alternative aircraft, which was dispatched from Pakistan to transport the stranded passengers to Lahore. The airline said arrangements were being made to ensure passengers reached their destination at the earliest.
In a similar instance this November, PIA flight PK-859 from Lahore to Jeddah was forced to divert mid-flight and land at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport because the first officer’s windshield cracked. The incident caused panic among passengers, and PIA officials said the windshield would be replaced before passengers continued their journey to Jeddah on the same or alternative aircraft.
