RAWALPINDI: A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight to Karachi from the Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Islamabad, was forced to abort take-off after a federal minister and some other passengers protested against non-functioning of the plane’s air-conditioning system yesterday.
But Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, the President of Awami Muslim League (AML) who was also travelling on the flight, preferred to keep away from the protest. “Let him disembark if he wants. But I shall travel on the flight,?” Sheikh Rashid was quoted as saying by a source. The source said the Karachi-bound PK-301 was taxing when one of the passengers started protesting.
Shortly, some other passengers joined him. The source said the crew members tried to convince the protesters that the air-conditioning system would start working soon after the plane takes off.
But the Minister for Inter-provincial Coordination, Riaz Hussain Pirzada, asked the crew members to stop the plane and disembark him.
The cabin crew informed the pilot who immediately contacted the authorities concerned and returned the plane to the terminal. The protesting passengers were disembarked and shifted to the passenger lounge.
The source said 12 passengers, including Riaz Hussain Pirzada, decided not to travel on the flight.
The other passengers, including Rashid, remained seated in the plane that took off at about 12.20pm against its scheduled time of 10am. Internews
