Islamabad-Bound Flight From Saudi With Pakistan PM Sharif On Board Diverted To Lahore, Passengers Miffed

The incident came close on the heels of PM Sharif's declaration of ban on red carpet treatment at events in his favour, which earned accolades for signalling a shift towards eradicating VIP culture.

New Delhi: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight on its way to Islamabad, carrying Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, and a high-level delegation returning from Saudi Arabia, was diverted to Lahore airport, causing inconvenience to numerous passengers onboard, PTI reported.

The incident came close on the heels of PM Sharif's recent declaration of a ban on red carpet treatment at events in his favour, which earned accolades for signalling a shift towards eradicating the VIP culture and encouraging a culture of humility within the realm of public service. 

Quoting a PIA spokesperson, the Dawn newspaper reported that the Pakistan International Airlines flight from Jeddah to Islamabad, carrying Sharif and his daughter Maryam back from their visit to Saudi Arabia, was diverted to Lahore airport on Monday.

When asked whether this was special treatment, the spokesperson of the ailing national flag carrier said, “VIPs were treated like commercial passengers". The report further said. "The flight PK842 carrying 393 passengers, which was supposed to land in Islamabad at 10:30 pm on Monday, was diverted to Allama Iqbal International Airport here and landed at 9:25 pm".

The report mentioned that the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister, and other VIPs disembarked at Lahore, causing inconvenience to hundreds of other Islamabad-bound passengers, according to sources. Official sources confirmed that the commercial flight from Jeddah to Islamabad carried the Pakistani delegation returning from Saudi Arabia, as per PTI.

In addition to Sharif and Maryam, the delegation comprised Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and other officials, accompanied by their family members. Videos circulating on social media captured passengers expressing their frustration, as they were left with no choice but to wait until the VIPs disembarked before continuing their journey to Islamabad.

Following the offloading of approximately 79 passengers, the flight eventually departed for Islamabad, landing at the Islamabad International Airport at 11:17 pm instead of the scheduled 10:30 pm. Prime Minister Sharif's visit to Saudi Arabia marked his first foreign trip since assuming office last month.