Latest news with #AirSial
Arab News
18-07-2025
- Arab News
Pakistani man, deported after boarding wrong flight to Jeddah, accuses airline of ‘criminal negligence'
KARACHI: A Pakistani man, who was 'mistakenly' flown to Saudi Arabia last week, has moved a high court against the private airline, Air Sial, according to the court petition, which accuses the airline of demonstrating 'criminal negligence' in a matter of national security. Malik Shahzain Ahmed, a resident of Karachi, was scheduled to fly from Lahore to Karachi on July 8 on the private airline's flight PF-146. However, he boarded an international flight to Jeddah without any visa or passport and was subsequently detained and deported by Saudi immigration authorities. In a petition filed in the Sindh High Court on Friday, the passenger requested the court for an early hearing which the court accepted and fixed his plea for July 21. The complainant made the private airline and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) parties in his petition. 'This is a matter of national security. A JIT (joint investigation team) should be formed on this matter,' Ahmed said in his petition filed through his lawyer, Muhammad Nawaz Dahri. 'How did a person go abroad without a ticket, without a passport and other documents? This is criminal negligence of the private airline.' Ahmed also accused the airline management of harassing him. 'The license of the private airline should be suspended until the investigation is completed,' he requested. In a legal notice previously served to the airline, Ahmed said he was denied assistance by the airline and subjected to humiliation, distress. He said he faced 'severe mental trauma' and had to purchase another ticket to return to Karachi. The notice had accused the airline of violating the Sindh Consumer Protection Act, 2014, citing 'defective' service, lack of identity verification and 'misleading representations regarding safety and professionalism.' It also alleged breaches of Pakistan's Civil Aviation Rules, 1994, the Pakistan Immigration Ordinance, 1979, and international air travel conventions, including the Montreal Convention of 1999. In a statement after the incident was first reported by news channels, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said it had taken notice of the lapse and written letters to the civil aviation regulator and the station manager. 'In the letter, the civil aviation regulator has been requested to impose a heavy fine on the airline that is guilty of negligence,' PAA spokesman Saifullah, who goes by a single name, told Arab News. Ahmed's legal notice demanded a written response within two days alongside compensatory damages. Air Sial has not publicly commented on the matter.
Gulf Today
16-07-2025
- Gulf Today
Pakistani man sues airline for wrongly flying him to Jeddah
Tariq Butt, Gulf Today Correspondent An engineer approached the Sindh High Court (SHC) against a private airline and others for wrongly flying him to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, instead of Karachi from Lahore airport earlier this month. Filing a plea before the SHC, petitioner Malik Shahzain Ahmed sought compensation and an inquiry into the incident. He cited the ministry of aviation, Civil Aviation Authority, Airport Security Force, Federal Investigation Agency and AirSial as respondents, and sought a directive for effective implementation of mandatory standard operating procedures (SOPs) and documentation procedures. The petitioner submitted that he is a resident of Korangi, Karachi, and frequently travels within the country for work-related assignments as he is a professional civil engineer. He stated that on July 7, he had purchased a ticket of AirSial to travel from Lahore to Karachi, but due to alleged gross negligence and procedural failure of the airline, he was "wrongfully and unlawfully boarded on an international flight of the same airline to Jeddah despite lacking valid passport, visa and international travel clearance.' Ahmed also submitted that such reckless conduct of the private airline resulted in his prolonged detention and interrogations at the Jeddah Airport and eventually he was deported back to Lahore by the Saudi immigration authorities without any assistance or representation of the respondent airline. He said that after returning to Lahore, he was again compelled to purchase a new ticket to reach Karachi. He said he sent a formal legal notice to the airline for legal intimation and initiation of appropriate action, but no response had been received so far. He alleged that the airline has failed to offer any apology, remedy, or compensation and instead attempted to suppress the incident and such action amounted to gross violation of his fundamental rights as guaranteed in the Constitution. Ahmed's lawyer Nawaz Dahri submitted that besides violation of constitutional provisions, such an act has also caused immense mental distress, financial loss and reputational damage to him as well as exposing him to criminal liability abroad. He also argued that the regulatory authorities have also failed to perform their statutory duties in order to prevent such gross misconduct and their inaction has caused violations. The lawyer maintained that actions of respondents have also violated various laws and regulations including Rules 272 and 273 the Civil Aviation Rules 1997 requiring passengers' verification, the Pakistan Immigration Ordinance 1979, barring international travel without valid documents and the Montreal Convention 1999 and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annex 9 binding the air carrier to ensure secure and lawful travel procedures. Barrister Taimur Malik, who contested the 2024 polls with the support of the PTI and is a member of the party's legal team, also called for Dr Yasmin Rashid to be "granted the right to bail like thousands of others in these cases'. He said that the PTI had asked the courts repeatedly to decide her bail applications. "More than two years in prison as an under-trial prisoner is punishment itself before any case has even been decided,' he added. Because of her old age and different ailments, Dr Yasmin Rashid is not keeping a good health for a long time.
Khaleej Times
15-07-2025
- Khaleej Times
Pakistan airline accidentally flies out passenger to Saudi without passport
In an astonishing mishap, a man was flown to Jeddah instead of Karachi after boarding a flight from Lahore, as per local media outlets. The passenger, Malik Shahzain Ahmed, was travelling with private airline Air Sial on July 8, when the incident took place. According to him, he did not have a passport or visa for international travel, which caused further distress at the destination, where he was detained and deported. Shahzain claimed that despite showing his ticket to the air hostess, he was allowed to board the flight and not informed of the error. When he realised he was on the wrong plane, it was already too late. The passenger has now filed a complaint against the airline, which refused to cover expenses of the return flight to Lahore. He also claimed that the airline said it would take two to three days for them to bring him to Karachi when he questioned the crew mid-flight. According to him, the crew panicked when he questioned them and blamed him for the error. Shahzain, in his legal notice, has urged the airline to cover additional flight expenses and respond to the issue. The Pakistan Airport Authority is currently investigating the matter and the Lahore Airport Management said it is holding the airline responsible and that the incident took place due to the carrier's 'negligence and carelessness'. The organisation's manager said a request for action has been submitted against the airline.
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First Post
15-07-2025
- First Post
Pakistani books Lahore to Karachi ticket, reaches via deportation from Saudi
When the Pakistani man landed in Jeddah, Saudi immigration detained him due to the missing passport, but later deported him back to Lahore once the mix-up was sorted out. read more A Pakistani man, who was supposed to fly from Lahore to Karachi, ended up in Jeddah after mistakenly boarding the wrong plane, sparking major concerns about airline procedures and airport security, reported Gulf News. On July 8, Malik Shahzain Ahmed was travelling with Air Sial, a private carrier, when he boarded a flight at Lahore Airport. However, he didn't realise that the plane was headed to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Two hours into the flight, he noticed something was off when it became clear the plane was going international. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I asked myself, 'This plane doesn't seem to be landing soon.' That's when I realised I had boarded the wrong plane,' Ahmed said in a video statement released following the incident. Shockingly, he had boarded without a passport—a basic requirement for such travel. When he landed in Jeddah, Saudi immigration detained him due to the missing passport, but later deported him back to Lahore once the mix-up was sorted out. To make matters worse, Ahmed claimed Air Sial refused to cover his travel to Karachi, insisting he buy a new ticket despite their mistake. Pakistani authorities hold Air Sial accountable The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) confirmed the incident and held Air Sial responsible. PAA spokesperson Saifullah told Gulf News that a report was sent to the Civil Aviation Authority, pushing for a hefty fine on the airline for the blunder. How Ahmed slipped through immigration at Lahore without a passport remains unexplained, raising serious questions about security checks. Critics are calling it a 'systemic failure.' The PAA promised to tighten security and verification processes to avoid such incidents in the future. Many see this as a glaring example of negligence that could've led to bigger diplomatic or legal issues if Saudi authorities hadn't handled it smoothly. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
India Today
15-07-2025
- India Today
Karachi-bound Pak man ends up in Saudi Arabia after flight goof-up, had no passport
A Pakistani man scheduled to fly from Lahore to Karachi ended up in Saudi Arabia after mistakenly boarding a flight to Jeddah, raising serious concerns over airline procedures and airport security protocols, Gulf News passenger, identified as Malik Shahzain Ahmed, was travelling via private carrier Air Sial on July 8. According to media reports, Ahmed boarded the wrong aircraft at Lahore Airport and only realised the mistake two hours into the flight when it became evident the plane was bound for an international asked myself, 'This plane doesn't seem to be landing soon.' That's when I realised I had boarded the wrong plane,' Ahmed said in a video statement released following the incident. Upon arrival in Jeddah, Saudi immigration authorities detained Ahmed after discovering he lacked a passport — a basic requirement for international travel. He was later deported back to Lahore after the misunderstanding was the issue, Ahmed alleged that Air Sial refused to arrange his onward travel to Karachi, instead asking him to purchase a new ticket despite the airline's role in the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has confirmed the incident and formally held the airline accountable. According to Gulf News, PAA spokesperson Saifullah stated that a report had been submitted to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), urging them to impose a 'heavy fine' on Air Sial for the serious have yet to explain how Ahmed was able to clear immigration at Lahore Airport without possessing a passport. The incident has prompted intense scrutiny of existing airport protocols and immigration checks, with critics calling the oversight a 'systemic failure.'The PAA has pledged to review and reinforce security and verification measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future. The case is now being cited as a stark example of procedural negligence that could have led to more severe diplomatic or legal consequences had the situation not been calmly managed by Saudi officials.- Ends
