Latest news with #MalikShahzain
Express Tribune
15-07-2025
- Express Tribune
Man mistakenly flown to Jeddah sues airline
An engineer who was mistakenly flown to Jeddah instead of Karachi by a private airline has moved the Sindh High Court (SHC), seeking a thorough investigation into what he termed a case of "gross negligence by the airline and immigration authorities." The petitioner, Malik Shahzain, filed the plea through Advocate Nawaz Dahri, alleging that due to the airline's incompetence, he was wrongfully put on an international flight without even carrying a passport. According to the petition, Shahzain was scheduled to travel from Lahore to Karachi but was instead boarded on a flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Upon landing in Jeddah, he was detained by Saudi authorities, questioned, and later deported back to Lahore. He stated that the ordeal caused him severe mental distress and public humiliation, raising serious questions over how airport security and immigration protocols failed to detect such a glaring error. He contended that being flown to another country without documentation exposed lapses that could point to deeper systemic failures. Terming the incident not just negligence but a potential case of human trafficking, the petitioner called for the formation of a JIT to probe the matter. Shahzain stated that he was subjected to degrading treatment abroad as a direct consequence of the negligence of the airline and concerned authorities, who, he added, must be held accountable for endangering his safety and dignity.
The Hindu
14-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Pakistani airline blunder sends passenger to Saudi Arabia instead of Karachi
In a bizarre airline blunder, a passenger from Lahore was flown to Saudi Arabia instead of Karachi and was deported back to Pakistan. The incident happened on July 7, 2025 with Malik Shahzain, an electrical engineer from Karachi, aboard an AirSial flight. A Civil Aviation Authority official said they are investigating the unusual incident. "A passenger boarding the wrong flight by mistake can happen, but we have never come across a case where a domestic passenger ended up on an international flight," the official said. India, Pakistan extend airspace ban for each other till July 24 According to Mr. Shahzain, he was returning to Karachi from Lahore on the night of July 7, 2025 after learning that his child had fallen ill. He arrived at the airport on time and presented his pre-booked boarding pass and was then directed to the lounge and the departure gate. "There were two AirSial aeroplanes on the tarmac, one headed to Karachi and the other to Jeddah. The staff, without checking properly, put me on the international flight, and I only realised this when, even after two hours of flying time, we did not land," Mr. Shahzain said. While the passenger landed in Jeddah, his luggage reached Karachi. At the Jeddah airport, Mr. Shahzain was questioned by immigration officials for hours before they realised that he landed there for no fault of him and directed the airline to put him on their next flight to Karachi. Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan's nuclear programme is for 'peaceful activities and self-defence' However, the ordeal didn't end there, as the airline flew the passenger back to Lahore, informing him he would need to arrange his ticket to Karachi. 'I was informed about the illness of my son and decided to return home, as I had gone to Lahore on office work. Instead, I underwent a 15-hour ordeal where I ended up in Jeddah and had to endure hours of interrogation,' Mr. Shahzain said. Pakistan, Russia sign agreement to revive Pakistan Steel Mills project The engineer claims the airline staff accepted their mistake in putting him on the international flight from Lahore to Jeddah when he was supposed to fly from Lahore to Karachi. However, he is still awaiting a formal response and apology from the private airline. "So far, the airline has issued no explanation or apology for my ordeal,' Mr. Shahzain said. AirSial is a Pakistani private airline based in Sialkot.
Express Tribune
13-07-2025
- Express Tribune
Boarded flight for Karachi, but landed in Saudi Arabia
Air Karachi is modelled on after the success of Air Siyal of Sialkot. PHOTO: FILE In arguably one of the most bizarre cases in air travel history, a Karachi-bound passenger was mistakenly boarded onto a Jeddah-bound flight, resulting in a 15-hour ordeal that ended with questioning by Saudi authorities and a struggle to return home. Malik Shahzain, an electrical engineer and resident of Korangi, was returning to Karachi from Lahore on the night of July 7 after learning that his child had fallen ill. However, due to what he described as a "serious and irresponsible error" by ground staff at Lahore airport, he was instead flown to Jeddah aboard an AirSial flight. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Shahzain recalled how he arrived at the airport around 9pm and approached airline staff with his boarding pass for the Karachi-bound flight. At the time, two AirSial aircraft were parked on the tarmac — one scheduled for Karachi and the other for Jeddah — both reportedly departing at 10pm. "I handed over my boarding pass and was directed to the international departures gate. I was seated at window seat 17F without being informed I had boarded the wrong flight," he said. Two hours into the flight, Shahzain got concerned and asked a flight attendant when the plane would arrive in Karachi. To his shock, he was informed that the aircraft was en route to Jeddah. Panic ensued among the crew, who informed the captain about the situation. Upon arrival in Saudi Arabia, the airline staff tried to manage the incident discreetly but failed. Saudi customs and security officials boarded the aircraft and escorted Shahzain away for interrogation. "I was taken about 800 metres from the plane, questioned repeatedly, and even my water bottle was examined," he said. A Bengali-speaking member of the Saudi security team acted as a translator during the inquiry. After explaining the situation and presenting his documents, Shahzain was released when authorities accepted that the incident had occurred due to negligence on the part of the airline. He was placed on a return flight to Lahore with instructions for AirSial to ensure his safe arrival in Karachi. However, the trouble did not end there. "Upon reaching Lahore, I was told to arrange my own ticket to Karachi," he said. With only Rs15,000 in hand and the ticket priced at Rs23,000, he had to contact his factory's Karachi office to purchase the ticket on his behalf. Shahzain said that while his 11kg luggage was correctly sent to Karachi and received later, the airline had yet to issue an apology or accept responsibility. He stressed that his intention in sending a legal notice was not to demand financial compensation but to seek accountability. "This mistake could have had far worse consequences had it involved someone who couldn't explain themselves — perhaps an illiterate or poor traveller from a remote area," he said. "It's not just about embarrassment; such incidents damage the country's image." He called for proper training and accountability for airline staff, arguing that simply reprimanding those responsible is not enough.
