ISLAMABAD SPECIAL CORRESPODENT
A deeply troubling and potentially catastrophic incident occurred on a Fly Jinnah flight from Quetta to Islamabad on Monday, raising serious questions about the airline’s safety protocols and preparedness.
In a written statement, President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Mian Muhammad Rauf Atta, revealed that the flight, scheduled to depart at 1:20 PM, was delayed by nearly two hours without any prior notice or explanation. Passengers — including children, elderly individuals, and women — were kept inside the aircraft throughout this period without communication from the crew or ground staff. This led to considerable mental stress and panic among passengers.
The situation escalated when, after the delay, the aircraft began taxiing toward the runway and accelerated for takeoff. Suddenly, the pilots aborted the takeoff, causing the aircraft to halt abruptly. Passengers reported that the plane momentarily felt out of control, triggering widespread panic and fear. One passenger even fainted from the shock and was attended to by a female doctor onboard who provided immediate medical assistance.
Thankfully, there were no casualties, but eyewitnesses described the event as a narrowly averted disaster. They blamed Fly Jinnah’s poor preparedness and negligence for putting dozens of lives at unnecessary risk.
Following the incident, many passengers staged a protest and demanded immediate action from the Ministry of Aviation, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and other relevant authorities. They called for an impartial and transparent investigation into the incident and urged that Fly Jinnah flights on this route be grounded until safety is assured.
Furthermore, passengers requested the reinstatement of other airline services on the Quetta-Islamabad route and the introduction of new flights to ensure passenger safety and convenience.
This alarming event has once again cast a shadow over aviation safety standards and passenger services in the country. The public now awaits to see how seriously the concerned authorities respond to this critical matter.
