PIA flight narrowly escapes two accidents at Sialkot Airport

SIALKOT: A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Abu Dhabi to Lahore narrowly escaped two accidents at Sialkot Airport on Saturday.

The flight PK264 was redirected to Sialkot due to adverse weather conditions in Lahore. After the weather in Lahore had improved, during take-off from Sialkot, the aircraft collided with a bird just before takeoff.

According to Jang, three tires of the AP-BLA registered plane burst during the re-landing.

The plane was able to land safely and the passengers were later transported to Lahore by bus.

Separately, the caretaker government has drafted a preliminary policy for State Owned Entities (SOEs), and listed ten companies for privatisation initiatives or turnaround, said Caretaker Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar during a press conference on Thursday.

Under the current $3 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMD), that was critical in averting a sovereign debt default, losses in SOEs, which are burning a hole in government finances, will need stronger governance.

Read more: Pakistan drafts policy for state entities before possible privatisation