Passengers were booked to fly back to Pakistan on August 28 from Jeddah to Lahore via a private Saudi airline.
Passengers informed Express 24/7 via phone that they were issued boarding cards after clearance but were told to wait for 24 hours.
However, after some time, they were shifted to a local hotel while their passports were held by immigration officials.
No reason for the flight delay was conveyed to the passengers and they are still trapped in Jeddah as the three day flight delay continues.
Passengers have complained that the Pakistani embassy has not bothered to take notice of their countrymen's misery.
According to an earlier report in The Express Tribune, a number of flights had been affected due to increased air traffic at Jeddah Airport in the current Umrah season.
COMMENTS (17)
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In poor country like Pakistan where many are dying of hunger and floods, I can't make sense of Umra that cost more than Rs 100,000 for only three days. I think this amount can give at least a poor family decent living for a year to recover after floods. Can some one explain me purpose of many Hajjs and umra when many are dying in neighborhood??
@Mirza:
" The very existence of Kingdom of SA is against the principles of Islamic equality"
Mriza, I am intriqued by your use of the term "Islamic equality". What is it? How is it different from universal equality?
@shehryar: then we should feel unfortunate being Pakistani. After all Saudia is the 2nd biggest donor to Pakistan.
I have been to many Arabic airports, almost 70% of flights announced late are of PIA or Shaheen etc. Not a single one of Airblue is late. So what is causing all this? Saudi's or our own airlines.
@shehryar: Please mind your words... These Saudis are our Muslim brothers and they support slot of proxy wars on our soil... They funded SSP and the killing fields of Pakistan... How can you criticize people from whom we destroyed ourselves... On the issue of being stranded the issue is it's PIA's incompetence. When you conduct umrah operation and there us increased passenger movement you book landing slots well in advance to ensure you are secured I can assure you our qaumi asset PIA would have forgotten it or missed those slots
@shehryar: @My Name is Khan: Spot on, I agree 100% with you. If anything you have been too soft and kind in your remarks! Thanks and regards, Mirza
The Kingdom of SA is an inhuman dictatorial society and a source of Whabi terroism in the world. The way they treat poor Muslims is shameful to say the least. The very existence of Kingdom of SA is against the principles of Islamic equality. There is no concept of monarchy in Islam; however, the mullahs and rightwing puppets love the rich Kingdom of SA! If a non Muslim country does this with our women and children at the time of Eid, we would have created a storm. No wonder Kingdom of SA treats us like this, they know they can!
@My Name is Khan and @Sunny, we are only to blame at this behavior of midleeast, not them. If we have unity and strength why should they be treating us like this? What is our government or Pakistani embassy done about this issue? NOTHING...
Thanks to our hateful Saudi brothers...... the kingdom of darkness...
@shehryar: who are the other 6 people??
I agree with shehryar. You have no idea how the saudi customs officials and the saudi immigration officials deal with people from asia including Pakistanis, indians, as far as the philippines. Many are made to wait for hours on end at the airport while the officials infront of them chat to each other while sipping qahwa.
@ Shrehryar - you are totally right brother. We Pakistanis are treated so poorly in the Middle East yet back in Pakistan we still hold these barbarians in high esteem.
Just because they got lucky and are sitting on oil does not make them intelligent or good. Their meddling in Pakistan has only led to massive radicalization, destruction of our previous harmony between different beliefs, and has been all around awful for us.
Shazia, Really Wish you spent Eid stuck in Jeddah Airport/Hotel room sharing with 6 other people for 4 days...Saudi Gov't and Airlines should be ashamed of themselves...I know they discriminate by country of origin...had the flight been Europe or US bound...The king himself would have ordered action! Being Pakistani should not be any different...
"According to an earlier report in The Express Tribune, a number of flights had been affected due to increased air traffic at Jeddah Airport in the current Umrah season".
So hold the Pakistanis till last. STUPID.
ET is now recycling photos, you are making david suzuki proud
At least they are being given hotel to stay .... The word STRANDED is being overused... They are not on the streets of Jeddah nor spending their hours on Airport..