Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza
Gilani, several federal ministers and a senior Army General
had a narrow escape on Tuesday when their aircraft made emergency
landings in two separate incidents, causing a minor scare.
A special aircraft carrying Gilani and other federal
ministers made an emergency landing shortly after taking off
from a military airbase in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.
The aircraft, which was going to Sukkur in Sindh province,
returned to Chaklala airbase shortly after take-off and made
an emergency landing as it had developed technical problems,
TV news channels quoted officials as saying.
All persons on board the aircraft, including Gilani and
Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan, were safe, officials
told the media.
The pilot informed the control tower of technical
problems and then made the emergency landing, they said.
The exact nature of the technical problems could not be
immediately ascertained.
The PM and other ministers were on their way to Sindh to
participate in special events to be held tomorrow to mark the
death anniversary of President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. The
delegation left for Sukkur later in a different aircraft.
In the other incident, a senior Pakistan Army general and
several other personnel had a narrow escape when a military
helicopter made an emergency landing after developing
technical problems in the northwestern Mohmand tribal region.
Maj Gen Nadir Zeb, Inspector General of the paramilitary
Frontier Corps, and several other personnel were on board the
helicopter when it made an emergency landing at the FC Colony
in Ghalanai, the main town of Mohmand Agency.
All persons on board the helicopter were safe, officials
were quoted as saying by TV news channels.
The exact nature of the technical problems could not
immediately be ascertained.
The Frontier Corps plays a crucial role in operations
against the Taliban and other militant groups in the tribal
belt and other areas of northwest Pakistan.
PTI
