A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight bound for Toronto was diverted to Karachi due to a “technical fault” after take-off, a PIA spokesperson said on Friday. The flight, PK-781, departed from Islamabad late Friday, according to PIA spokesperson Abdullah Khan.
The technical fault was described as “minor,” but the captain chose to return rather than continue the long flight over the Atlantic Ocean. “The decision to bring the plane to Karachi was made due to better arrangements at the engineering base and availability of spare parts,” Khan explained.
PIA made arrangements for the flight’s return to Karachi, as well as food, transportation, and accommodation for passengers. The flight has been rescheduled to depart for Toronto at 1 pm on Saturday.
Pakistan is set to privatize the national airline by June or July, in line with requirements set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The airline has been facing a financial crisis for several years.
On Friday, the Ministry of Privatization announced that eight business entities have expressed interest in acquiring stakes in PIA.
This move is part of a broader effort to overhaul Pakistan’s public sector entities under a $3 billion short-term loan package agreed upon with the IMF last year to avoid a sovereign debt default.
