Tag: PIA

  • PIA incurring Rs6 billion loss per month, Air Marshal Arshad Malik tells PM Imran

    PIA incurring Rs6 billion loss per month, Air Marshal Arshad Malik tells PM Imran

    Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Air Marshal Arshad Malik has told Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan that in the prevailing situation, the national flag carrier is running into a loss of around Rs6 billion on a monthly basis.

    A sum of Rs24 billion was being spent yearly on the payment of salaries to its 14,500 employees alone, the PIA CEO briefed the premier, who was chairing a meeting on the reforms and restructuring of the national airline.

    The CEO also apprised the PM about the progress on the investigation into the Karachi plane crash, handing over of bodies to their bereaved families and payment of compensation amount to the heirs of plane crash victims, the PM Office Media Wing in a press release said.

    The meeting was attended by Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Information and Broadcasting Minister Senator Shibli Faraz, Advisor to PM on Reforms Dr Ishrat Hussain, Special Assistant Lt Gen (r) Asim Salim Bajwa and other senior officials.

    During the meeting, a timeline for the restructuring of the PIA and a comprehensive roadmap over reforms and implementation was also submitted before the prime minister.

    Addressing the meeting, the PM said due to the coronavirus pandemic, the country’s economy was facing difficulties, adding that people had to bear the burden of billions of rupees losses on a monthly basis suffered by the state-owned entities.

    He said under the current situation, it was imperative to expedite restructuring and reforms process in the PIA, which had been running into billions of rupees loss owing to Covid-19.

    PM Imran stressed upon bringing down expenditures of the organisation, focusing on increase in its income and financial resources and upgradation of its fleet.

    He also directed that special attention should be paid so that the PIA-owned domestic and foreign assets, which could be utilised through a completely transparent and clear manner. The assets should create financial resources for the organisation instead of becoming a burden on the general public, he observed.

    Arshad Malik on the occasion also gave a detailed briefing on the restructuring, improvement in the financial discipline, better and effective utilisation of the PIA’s assets, and strategy over other related issues.

    He said due to the prevailing situation, the airlines industry throughout the world had been affected and reforms in that regard, were carried out in the organisation.

  • Currency worth Rs3 crores was being smuggled on PK8303; discovered in PIA plane’s debris

    Currency worth Rs3 crores was being smuggled on PK8303; discovered in PIA plane’s debris

    In a shocking development, local and foreign currency amounting to Rs30 million was allegedly being smuggled in the plane that crashed in a Karachi neighbourhood on May 22, a spokesperson of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has claimed.

    “Local and foreign currency worth millions of rupees was recovered from the crash site,” said the spokesperson, adding that a total of Rs30 million had been recovered from three separate bags.

    The PIA official said that such an amount cannot be transported without informing the airline and that an extra seat ticket needs to be purchased for transporting such huge amounts of cash. “A passenger cannot carry it in their luggage or cabin baggage.”

    He said for such large amounts of cash, a passenger has to be seated next to the cash but no passenger had brought an extra seat.

    So far, three people have come forward to claim the money, the spokesperson said.

  • ‘Searching for mother’s body a nightmare’: Desperate pleas for help after losing family in PIA crash

    ‘Searching for mother’s body a nightmare’: Desperate pleas for help after losing family in PIA crash

    As Fazal Rahman, 80, and his wife, Wahida Rahman, 74, boarded a plane in on Friday, their family’s biggest fear was that they might get catch the coronavirus on their way to spend the holiday in Karachi.

    Instead the couple, who had been married for 54 years, were among the 97 people killed when an Airbus A-320, operated by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), crashed into a Karachi neighbourhood — country’s worst air disaster since 2012.

    READ: PK8303 — not the first: Timeline of major Pakistani air crashes

    “We held many calls deliberating with doctors and family […] Our biggest concern was that they made the trip safely,” said their son, Inamur Rahman, who instead of welcoming his parents for the Eidul Fitr holidays found himself picking through the wreckage of flight PK-8303 praying for a miracle.

    https://twitter.com/SiddiquiNaveid/status/1265341000987394050

    “I got in my car and followed the smoke and the ambulances,” said Rahman. “When I saw the area, I realised that it would be a miracle if they had made it,” he added.

    “I lost both my parents in this tragic & horrific crash. I submit to Allah’s will. However the ordeal we are suffering at the hands of #PIA is inexcusable. Callous, Insensitive, incompetent…. #PIAPlaneCrash [sic],” tweeted his brother, Adil Rahman.

    There were two survivors from onboard the aircraft, while no fatalities were reported on the ground in the densely packed neighborhood of multi-story homes abutting the eastern edge of Jinnah International Airport where the plane came down.

    More than two dozen homes were damaged as the airliner roared in, leaving a tangle of severed electric cables and exposed rebar — a broken wing rested against the side of a home, an engine on the ground nearby.

    The jet fuel set the wreckage ablaze, along with homes and vehicles, sending black smoke into the sky, a Reuters witness said.

    Crowds rushed to the site, relatives searching for loved ones, rescue workers and the curious. Scores of ambulances and fire-engines jammed the narrow, debris-cluttered streets.

    One rescue worker told Reuters two bodies were found with oxygen masks on. Many bodies pulled from the wreckage were charred beyond recognition.

    Airline’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Air Marshal Arshad Malik said on Friday the last message from the pilot indicated a technical problem. A team from Airbus is due to arrive to investigate, a PIA spokesperson said.

    SCREAMS AND FIRE:

    Shahid Ahmed, 45, was at the airport waiting for his mother to arrive. When he reached the crash site he saw rescuers retrieving bodies and people taking selfies.

    “There was no one responsible at the site, people were busy posing for pictures,” said a distraught Ahmed, who lost his mother, Dilshad Begum, 75, who was also flying to Karachi for Eid.

    After scouring the site and failing to find his mother, Ahmed went to look for her in hospitals.

    There was no list of the dead or injured at any of the hospitals, it was all chaos and mismanagement,” said Ahmed, who sobbed as he recounted the ordeal.

    “Searching for our mother’s body was a nightmare.”

    READ: ‘Ertuğrul’, Bollywood stars react to PIA crash

    One of the survivors, engineer Muhammad Zubair, told a local media outlet the pilot came down to land, briefly touched down, then pulled up again.

    He announced he was going to make a second try shortly before the plane crashed, Zubair said from the hospital.

    “I could hear screams from all directions. Kids and adults. All I could see was a fire. I couldn’t see any people – just hear their screams,” he said.

    PLEA FOR HELP:

    Meanwhile, Arif Ali Faruqui says his entire world came crashing down just two days before Eid as his wife and three children were also onboard the ill-fated plane.

    In a video message, Faruqui of Lahore asked Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan to help him in identifying the remains of his family while casting doubt over the handling of the DNA sampling by authorities.

    “If I hadn’t identified my wife or daughter’s bodies, the authorities could have handed over the remains of the wrong people,” says Faruqui in a video message that, according to The Express Tribune, has gone viral.

    He urged PM Imran to take action against the “red tape and bureaucracy” faced by people who lost loved ones in the crash.

    Faruqui says his wife wanted to spend Eid in Karachi with her mother, who has terminal cancer.

    “The decision to send the kids was taken very late as they wanted to see their grandmother,” he told.

    READ: PIA crash survivor recalls what happened

    Sitting outside the emergency ward of Karachi’s Jinnah Hospital in, he broke down while narrating his ordeal.

    “The process for getting death certificates and collecting remains is extremely insensitive and inept,” said Faruqui, who had to identify the charred remains of his family.

    After facing delays in the handing over of remains of identified family members, Faruqui says he is being harassed by police as the burial took place without issuance of death certificate.

    “I was questioned for 90 minutes and the document is still not issued,” he told

    There is also a trust deficit between authorities, he added. “Two separate teams of Sindh and Punjab are conducting DNA tests.” He added that some people had even taking remains from the morgue without confirmation of identity.

  • انصار بھائی کے نام

    انصار بھائی کے نام

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    5 اپریل 2003کی بات ہے، جیو میں میرا پہلا دن تھا۔ ایچ آر ڈپارٹمنٹ سے ابو طالب بھٹو مجھے نیوز روم لے کر گئے اور تھوڑا بہت بتایا کہ کہاں کون سا ڈپارٹمنٹ بیٹھا ہے۔ اور پھر طالب نے مجھے ایک صاحب سے ملوایا اور کہا کہ اب آپ انصار صاحب کے حوالے۔ وہ میری سید انصار علی نقوی سے پہلی ملاقات تھی ۔ 
    میں بہت خوش قسمت رہی کہ مجھے خبروں کی دنیا میں اظہر عباس، ناصر بیگ چغتائی، زاہد حسین، مجدد شیخ، ایم کے عباس جیسے استاد ملے لیکن انگلی پکڑ کر چلنا مجھے انصار بھائی نے سکھایا۔ 
    انصار بھائی نے پہلے تعرف پر مجھے مسکرا کر دیکھا اور کہا “کیسی ہو لڑکی، تیار ہو کام کے لئیے؟” 
    عام طور سے ہم پہلی مرتبہ ملتے وقت تھوڑا تکلف رکھتے ہیں لیکن ان کے لہجے کی اپنائیت اور نظروں کا خلوص اتنا گہرا تھا کہ میری زبان سے یہی الفاظ ادا ہوئے “میں کام کے لئیے تیار ہوں، آپ سکھانے کے لئیے تیار ہو جائیں، اور میں آپ کو انصار بھائی بلاؤں گی”. وہ اپنے مخصوص انداز سے مسکرائے ، سر اثابت میں ہلایا اور اخبار دے کر کہا کہ پڑھنا شروع کرو۔
    بس پھر میں نے پڑھنا شروع کیا اور انھوں نے اسی اخبار کی دوسری کاپی پر مارک کرنا۔ تھوڑی دیر کے بعد انھوں نےاپنا والا اخبار مجھے دیا تو وہ مجھے شرمندہ کرنے کے لئیے کافی تھا۔ لیکن انھوں نے میری غلطیوں کی صرف نشاندہی نہیں کی بلکہ اس کی تصیح بھی کرتے گئے۔ 
    میرا ان کا سترہ سال کا ساتھ تھا ، اتنی یادیں اور باتیں ہیں جنھیں قلم بند کروں تو دیوان ہو جائے۔ تو بس بے ربط جو واقعات یاد آتے جا رہے ہیں، لکھتی جارہی ہوں ۔ 
    انھوں نے مجھے بینا سرور کے پاس بھیجا اور کہا کہ” تمہیں ہم دس پندرہ دنوں میں ہی دبئی بھیجنے والے ہیں، دنیا دیکھی گی تمہیں، ہماری اور اپنے گھر والوں کی عزت رکھنا، اپنے کام اور کردار دونوں سے” وہ ہمیشہ کہتے تھے کہ اچھا اینکر بننے کے لئیے theory بہت ضروری ہے۔
    بینا سرور نے مجھے فائلوں کا ایک پلندہ دیا کہ اگلے دن اس میں سے ٹیسٹ ہو گا۔ میں نے انصار بھائی کی جانب ایسے دیکھا کہ پہلے ہی دن دھوبی پٹخا!!!! اور انھوں نے انتہائی صفائی سے نظریں دوسری جانب پھیر لیں، جیسے وہ مجھے جانتے ہی نہیں۔
    Typical Ansar Bhai!
    واضح کر دوں کہ اس وقت واحد نیوز چینل صرف جیو ہی تھا، خبریں دبئی میڈیا سٹی میں موجود جیو کے اسٹوڈیو سے ہوتی تھیں۔ ندا سمیر (اس وقت ندا فاطمہ) خبریں پڑھتی تھیں اور ندا کا شروع کے دنوں میں کچھ ذاتی وجوہات کی بناپر پر پاکستان میں رہنا ضروری تھا۔ اس وقت کوئی بھی خاتون اینکر اسکرین پر نہیں تھی۔ اس لیے جیو کی کوشش تھی کہ مجھے جلد از جلد آن ائر کر دیا جائے۔ اب اتنے کم عرصے میں ایک گھر سے آئی housewife کو سبق گھول کر ہی پلایا جا سکتا تھا۔ تو یہ مشکل کام انصار بھائی کو سونپا گیا اور انھوں نے بھی رات کے تین تین بجے تک دفتر میں بٹھا کر میرا “ر” “ڑ” ٹھیک کرایا (شکر ہے “ش” “ق” درست تھا میرا)۔ 
    اور یہی نہیں بلکہ رات کے اس پہر جب میں گھر جاتی تو میرے شوہر نامدار کو فون کرکے میری ساری غلطیاں نوٹ کروا چکے ہوتے کہ اب امی بننے کی تمہاری باری ۔ 
    گو کہ جیو میں سب نے مجھے اپنے گھر کا فرد سمجھ کر میری صلاحیتیوں میں اضافے کی کوشش کی، بتایا، سکھایا لیکن مجھے یہ کہنے میں کوئی ہچکچاہٹ نہیں کہ اگر انصار بھائی نے اتنی محنت نا کی ہوتی تو شاید میں شہرت تو کما لیتی لیکن وہ نام اور عزت نہیں حاصل کرپاتی جو آج مجھے حاصل ہے۔۔
    میں کراچی چھٹیوں پر آئی ہوئی تھی اور میرا miscarriage ہو گیا تھا۔ الکریم نے ان کو تلاش کر کے صرف انھی کو اطلاع دینا مناسب سمجھا۔ اس سے بڑھ کر ان پر اعتماد اور قربت کی کیا مثال دی جا سکتی ہے؟
    جیو کی ابتدا کی ٹیم ایک خاندان کی طرح تھی۔ ہم اب چاہے کسی بھی ادارے میں ہوں، ہمارے دل ایک دوسرے سے اسی خلوص اور محبت سے بندھے ہوئے ہیں۔ 
    مجھے جیو جوائن کئے ڈیڑھ سال ہو چکا تھا، میں دبئی میں ہیbased تھی۔ اور وہاں موجود سب لوگ ایک ہی ہوٹل میں مقیم تھے جسے ہم جیو محلہ کہتے تھے۔ انصار بھائی دبئی کے دفتر کام سے آئے ہوئے تھے۔ لیکن اس عرصے میں، میں اپنے اس نئے خاندان سے خاصی گھل مل گئی تھی۔ تو ہنسی مزاق اور گفتگو بھی بغیر سنسر کے ہوتی تھی۔ کسی کی بات کا جواب دیتے ہوئے میں نے کہہ دیا کہ “پونکا کروں گی”. میری شامت آ ئی کہ انصار بھائی آفس میں پیچھے بیٹھے تھے اور انھوں نے سن لیا۔ اتنی ڈانٹ پڑی مجھے کہ آج تک یہ لفظ دوبارہ نہیں کہا ۔ ان کے غصہ کی وجہ یہ فکر تھی کہ الکریم کیا سوچیں گے کہ کیسا ماحول ہے جیو کا ؟ اس طرح کی زبان استعمال ہوتی ہے ؟اور میرا بیٹا, جو کہ اس وقت دو سال کا تھا, اس کی تربیت پر کیا اثر پڑے گا؟
    بتانا یہ چاہ رہی ہوں کہ وہ کام کے ساتھ ساتھ ادارے کے ماحول پر بھی کنٹرول اور نظر رکھتے تھے اور بچوں کی تربیت کو بھی اہمیت دیتے تھے۔ صرف اپنی ذات تک نہیں بلکہ اپنے اطراف کے لوگوں کو بھی balance and ethics in life کی تلقین، ہمیں دل سے اپنا سمجھ کر کرتے تھے۔ وہ ذاتی طور سے ایک family person تھے ۔ ان کے نزدیک فیملی سب سے بڑھ کر تھی اور ہم سب ان کی فیملی ہیں۔ 
    میرے والد کو اس دنیا سے رخصت ہوئے دس سال ہو گئے ہیں۔ انصار بھائی کے جانے پر اتنی ہی تکلیف ہورہی ہے جتنی ابو کے جانے پر ہوئی تھی۔
    کہتے ہیں وقت بہترین مرہم ہے، آہستہ آہستہ شاہد یہ درد کم ہوجوئے، آنسو بھی خشک ہو جائیں لیکن انصار بھائی میرے دل اور سوچوں کے اس حصے میں ہمیشہ رہیں گے جہاں میرے ابو رہتے ہیں۔

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  • An inconsolable tragedy

    An inconsolable tragedy

    As we struggle to deal with a global pandemic that has claimed over 1,100 lives in Pakistan alone, an inconsolable tragedy has hit us hard.

    A PIA flight from Lahore to Karachi met a tragic fate yesterday. The ill-fated plane’s landing gear reportedly stopped working and when the pilot pulled it up for another round to try and resolve the issue, both its engines failed. The pilot tried to land again — this time in an area near the Jinnah International Airport, but due to the streets being narrow, it hit a mobile tower and crashed.

    There were 91 passengers on board and eight crew members. Two passengers miraculously survived while the crew and the rest of the passengers did not make it. All bodies have been recovered and are now being identified through DNA samples, which may take some time. An investigation team has been constituted to probe the accident.

    A total of 97 lives have been lost. Both young and old, men and women. Friday’s tragedy of PK8303 crash is something that shook everyone. Messages from around the world poured in — from Canadian PM Justin Trudeau to Indian PM Narendra Modi, world leaders paid their condolences. Our hearts go out to the families, friends and loved ones of those who lost their lives. Eid is usually a happy occasion but with coronavirus and this tragedy, it will be a somber affair in Pakistan this time around.

    Pakistan does not have a good record of investigating plane accidents. We hope that there will be a thorough investigation to determine whether the health of the aircraft was satisfactory as well as its maintenance. Aircraft experts are perturbed that so many issues surfaced at the same time — from landing gear malfunctioning to engines that stopped working.

    Those 97 lives cannot be brought back, but the least the state can do is honour those who lost their lives, by getting to the bottom of what exactly happened.

    We understand that nothing will console the grieving families who lost their loved ones just days before Eid. We cannot even begin to imagine the pain they must be going through. But now it is the state’s responsibility to bring some closure. The Sindh government acted in a responsible manner by not giving out names or numbers of the deceased until they could verify and are still in the process of verifying.

    Regular updates from the Sindh Health Department about the rescue and relief operations were also commendable under the face of such a huge tragedy, but a thorough investigation is needed into the response of the district administration as eyewitnesses allege that most people lost their lives to the fire that broke out and rescue teams failed to deal with at the earliest.

    The media — by and large — also acted in a responsible manner despite some editorial lapses. On the other hand, social media and Whatsapp groups went rife with rumours, some even giving false hope to families.

    Here we must pay tribute to the unsung heroes — those who were at the forefront of the rescue and relief efforts, including the law enforcement agencies and humanitarian organisations like the Edhi Foundation. We cannot thank them enough for working tirelessly.

    Life is unpredictable but nothing prepares anyone for a sudden and tragic loss. We pray for the families of those who died in yesterday’s crash.

  • PIA crash survivor recalls what happened

    PIA crash survivor recalls what happened

    One of the two people to survive a plane crash in Karachi that killed 97 people has described jumping from the burning wreckage of the aircraft after it hurtled into a residential neighborhood.

    The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane came down among houses on Friday after both engines failed as it approached Karachi airport, the airline said.

    Its wings sliced through rooftops, sending flames and plumes of smoke into the air as it crashed onto a street, sparking a rescue operation that lasted into the night.

    Commercial flights in the country resumed only days ago, ahead of Eidul Fitr, after planes were grounded during a lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic.

    “After it hit and I regained consciousness, I saw fire everywhere and no one was visible,” Mohammad Zubair, 24, said from his hospital bed in a video clip circulated on social media.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    “The cries were everywhere and everybody was trying to survive. I undid my seat belt and I saw some light and tried to walk towards it. Then I jumped out.”

    Zubair had suffered burns but was in a stable condition, a health ministry official said.

    The airline named the other survivor as the president of the Bank of Punjab (BoP), Zafar Masud.

    The health ministry for Sindh on Saturday confirmed that the 97 bodies recovered from the crash site had been on the plane.

    At least 19 had been identified so far, while DNA testing was being carried out at the University of Karachi to help name the rest of the victims.

    A local hospital earlier reported it had received the bodies of people killed on the ground.

    The disaster comes as Pakistanis prepare to celebrate Eid, with many traveling to their homes in cities and villages.

    “Eid has become meaningless not only for Karachi but the whole of Pakistan,” said Ziaul Huq Qamar, who lives near the crash site.

    Several members of the armed forces who were flying home to their families to celebrate the holiday were among the dead, the military said.

    Shahbaz Hussain said his mother, who was also among the victims, had been flying back to Karachi after becoming stranded by the lockdown in Lahore while visiting her daughters.

  • PK8303 — not the first: Timeline of major Pakistani air crashes

    PK8303 — not the first: Timeline of major Pakistani air crashes

     

    At least 97 people have been killed after an Airbus A320 passenger airliner crashed into a residential neighbourhood while on approach to the airport in Karachi.

    Only two male passengers of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK8303 from Lahore to Karachi survived the crash that wasn’t the first in Pakistan’s history, and, unfortunately, might not be the last.

    The country has a chequered aviation safety record, and here is a timeline of the air crash tragedies that shook Pakistan.

    May 20, 1965

    PIA Boeing 707 crashes during inaugural flight while attempting to land at Cairo airport, killing 124 passengers.

    August 6, 1970

    PIA Fokker F27 aircraft crashes while attempting to take off from Islamabad in a thunderstorm, killing 30 on board.

    December 8, 1972

    Another PIA Fokker F27 crashes in Rawalpindi, leaving all 26 passengers dead.

    November 26, 1979

    A PIA Boeing 707 bringing home Pakistani Hajj pilgrims from Saudi Arabia crashes shortly after take off from Jeddah airport, killing 156 people.

    October 23, 1986

    PIA Fokker F27 crashes in Peshawar, leaving 13 out of 54 passengers dead.

    August 25, 1989

    Another PIA Fokker crashes in Gilgit with 54 people on board. The wreckage was never found.

    September 28, 1992

    A PIA Airbus A300 crashes while approaching Kathmandu after the plane descended too early, killing 167 people.

    July 10, 2006

    PIA Fokker F27 crashes in Multan shortly after take off, killing 45 people.

    July 28, 2010

    Airblue Airbus 321 from Karachi crashes in Margalla Hills outside Islamabad, leaving all 152 passengers dead.

    April 20, 2012

    A Bhoja Air Airbus 737 from Karachi crashes in Islamabad due to bad weather, killing all 127 passengers.

    December 7, 2016

    PIA ATR-42 aircraft flying from Chitral to Islamabad, crashes near Abbottabad. 48 people died in the incident, including singer-turned-preacher Junaid Jamshed.

    Friday’s tragic episode was the first commercial airliner crash since 2016. There have, however, been a number of chartered and military jet crashes.

  • A minute before landing, two days before Eid: What we know about PIA’s ill-fated flight PK8303

    A minute before landing, two days before Eid: What we know about PIA’s ill-fated flight PK8303

    In yet another tragic chapter of Pakistan’s aviation history, Karachi-bound flight PK8303 of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from Lahore on Friday crashed in a residential area of the port city a bit over a minute away from the airport, and two days before Eid.

    A Google Maps screen grab of the distance from the crash site of PIA’s PK8303 to the airport

    A majority among the 91 passengers of the ill-fated flight — also carrying seven crew members — was of those who were heading back home to celebrate Eid in Karachi, as the government lifted the ban imposed on domestic air travel to curb the spread of COVID-19.

    While a rescue operation is underway and conflicting reports about the number of survivors and fatalities pour in, here’s everything we know so far.

    THE FLIGHT AND THE CRASH:

    The aircraft, which FlightRadar24.com identified as a 15-year-old Airbus A320, took off from the eastern city of Lahore for Karachi.

    “The last we heard from the pilot was that he has some technical problem,” the national carrier’s spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan said in a video statement. “He was told from the final approach that both the runways were ready where he can land, but the pilot decided that he wanted to do a go-round.”

    Speaking to a foreign media outlet, one senior civil aviation official said it appeared the plane was unable to open its wheels due to a technical fault prior to landing, but it is too early to determine the cause.

    “The plane first hit a mobile tower and then crashed over houses,” a witness Shakeel Ahmed said near the site, just a few kilometres short of the airport — in the Jinnah Garden area of Malir’s Model Colony.

    A video, purportedly showing Fridays crash, is also doing rounds over mainstream and social media.

    CAUSE OF THE CRASH:

    While it still remains too early to determine the cause of the crash, an audio clip of the last conversation between the flight’s pilot and the control tower has been released.

    The pilot sent a Mayday — emergency procedure word used internationally as a distress signal in voice procedure radio communications — and told controllers the aircraft had lost power from both its engines on its second attempt to land.

    After the aircraft reportedly called off an earlier attempt to land and went around for a second attempt, a controller radioed the pilot that he appeared to be turning left, suggesting he was off-course.

    The pilot replied, “We are returning back, sir, we have lost engines,” and the controller cleared the plane to land on either of Karachi airport’s two West-Southwest-facing runways.

    Twelve seconds later the pilot called “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday” and was again cleared to use either runway. There was no further communication from the aircraft.

    PIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Air Marshal Arshad Malik confirmed that the pilot, in his last words, had said that there was a technical fault with the aircraft. “The pilot was told that both runways were ready for him to land. However, the pilot decided to do a go-around. Why did he do that, due to what technical reason, that we will find out,” he said, before hopping on a plane to Karachi.

    https://twitter.com/HamzaSiddiquiPK/status/1263813137800855552

    While experts say that what actually caused the crash “will only be determined after the black boxes are opened”, it has been learnt that there has been no permanent director general for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for the past two years.

    POSSIBLE SURVIVORS AND FATALITIES?

    Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Bank of Punjab (BoP) President and CEO Zafar Masud as well as Urban Unit CEO Khalid Sherdil were also on the ill-fated flight that crashed in Karachi, seats 1C and 1F, respectively.

    According to reports, Masud was shifted to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Malir Cantt, where he is receiving treatment and is said to be out of danger. There was no word on Sherdil by the time this report was filed.

    As per various unconfirmed reports, anywhere between 14 to 40 passengers have survived. Dozens of others, however, are feared dead, which also include locals who are said to be buried under debris of their houses, or lost their lives due to the fire that broke out following the crash.

    A rescue operation is underway and the military has also rushed to the aid of civilian authorities.

    Military’s assistance to speed up relief and rescue efforts in the densely populated area was announced by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

    PRESIDENT, PM REACT TO CRASH:

    As condolences pour in, President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan have offered their condolences to the families of the victims while also praying for the safety and earliest recovery of the survivors.

    The premier has ordered an investigation into the tragedy as well.

    “Shocked and saddened by the PIA crash. Am in touch with PIA CEO Arshad Malik, who has left for Karachi and with the rescue and relief teams on ground as this is the priority right now [sic],” he tweeted, announcing that an immediate inquiry would follow.

  • PIA flight from Lahore crashes in Karachi

    PIA flight from Lahore crashes in Karachi

    A Karachi-bound Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Lahore on Friday crashed a bit over a minute away from the port city’s airport, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) sources said.

    The plane that crashed in Karachi’s Model Colony, was reportedly carrying 95 passengers.

    A video available with The Current showed houses located in the locality’s Jinnah Bagh area on fire.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Rescue teams are en route to the site of the crash, a cloud of thick black smoke can be seen over which.

  • PIA flight to bring students back from Wuhan

    PIA flight to bring students back from Wuhan

     A day after the government announced to repatriate students from the Chinese city of Wuhan, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez on Saturday confirmed that a special flight of the national flag carrier will bring back stranded nationals on May 18.

    According to Hafeez, some 250 students will be brought back on the first flight which will land in Islamabad.

    The schedule for three more flights will be announced next week, he added.

    The announcement was originally made by Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Overseas Pakistani Syed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari on Twitter. “I’m very happy for the 1st flight going to Wuhan to bring back our Pakistani students on 18/05/2020,” he wrote.

    “You guys have been the bravest soldiers, PM Imran Khan & Pakistan are proud of you,” he added.