On Sunday, actor Adnan Siddiqui took to Instagram to share a deeply moving reflection on a turbulent flight from Karachi to Lahore. The video he posted captured the visibly shaking cabin of the aircraft, but it was his caption that resonated most, with raw emotion, existential clarity, and a dash of dark humour.
"Yesterday, somewhere between the sky over Karachi and the sprawling fields of Lahore, I found myself caught between heaven and a very real sense of mortality," Siddiqui wrote. What began as a routine journey soon "turned into the kind of moment that strips away the noise, the routine, the illusion of control and leaves you staring straight into the eyes of your fragility."
As the aircraft began to shake violently mid-air, panic quickly set in among the passengers. Siddiqui described the scene with stark honesty: "Around me, fear took hold: gasps, cries, people clutching one another, some openly panicking. It was definitely chaotic."
Despite the fear, Siddiqui tried to remain centered: "I tried to stay calm, holding on not just to the armrest but to my thoughts, my breath, and my faith." In those intense moments, he said, "only one thing filled my heart: my family. My children's faces. And I felt a sharp ache of leaving this world without one last hug from them, without telling them how much I love them."
The actor said he prayed for everyone on board. "Strangers, yet suddenly bound together by fear, by hope, by the sheer intensity of the moment. I asked Allah for mercy, a safe landing, and another chance."
Just as they were nearing the runway in Lahore, the plane suddenly pulled back up for a go-around. Siddiqui commended the pilot, writing, "What presence of mind! Kudos to the captain."
The aircraft landed safely soon after, but the actor emphasised it wasn't just the end of a journey. "It was Allah's grace. It is a powerful reminder that life is painfully fragile, heartbreakingly brief, and profoundly sacred."
With characteristic wit, he added that during the chaos, "I was so quiet that I opened my phone and wrote a quick goodbye note just in case. I wrote it like it might be read at my funeral, or maybe go viral. When we landed, I read it, made a face, and deleted it. Still, I meant every word."
At the end of the day, his message was clear: "Keep your people close. And thank Allah for this moment, life, and chance."
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