Pakistan International Airlines aircraft sits on the tarmac in Stanstead airport on Friday. PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD: Two British men were charged with endangering an aircraft after a Pakistan International Airlines plane was diverted, intercepted by fighter jets and escorted to a London airport, the BBC reported on Sunday.
Tayyab Subhani, 30, and Mohammed Safdar, 41, both of Nelson, Lancashire, were detained at Stansted on Friday.
The defendants are due at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on May 27 (Monday).
The PIA aircraft, which was carrying 300 passengers from Lahore to Manchester, was diverted to Stansted airport outside London.
The incident was not believed to be terror-related. An airline source had told AFP the incident had stemmed from a family row on board.
“There was a family of eight to 10 people on the plane and they were quarrelling among each other,” the PIA source had said.
“When PIA staff approached them and asked them to calm down, they told them to go away otherwise they would blow up the plane.”
“PIA staff became scared and they raised the alarm to avoid any untoward situation.”
COMMENTS (19)
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@Muhammad Khan:
haha you made my day :))))
You can take a Pakistani out of Pakistan but you cannot take Pakistan out of a Pakistani
The family members who were quarreling on board of PIA flight should be banned from traveling from all airlines of the world and their names should be black-listed in the passenger's manifest.
Unless they do not know the acticates as how to sit in an aircraft and behave, they should remain barred from traveling on the international flights.
As far as the two other men in UK's police custody are concerned, the British Court will look after their case and I am sure that an appropriate punishment or fine would be awarded to them.
I did a little more investigative work on those two culprits
Tayyab Subhani, 30 -- Taxi Driver
Mohammed Safdar, 41 -- Restaurant Worker
Epitome of successful immigrants !!!! S-A-R-C-A-S-M.
Nothing against these profession,but it is expected of them to behave in such a manner growing up in a village environment in some remote Punjab. They weren't taught "awadi adab"
@Chunky Lafanga:
There have been a few instances where non-Pakistani Britons in the heat of an argument or drunken stipour have made such threats.
Nelson in Lancashire is where many, many British Kashmiris have made their homes, when property prices were very cheap.
Considering how passengers on PIA flights scramble for their oversized cabin luggage long before the plane has touched down, I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to exit the plane in mid air.
The PIA staff should have thrown these two men out of the aircraft in the sky so as to avoid other passengers face so much trouble and fear in their lives.
@zubin:
Agreed, they are British nationals, but when people read that they have Pakistani backgrounds, Pakistani will always stand out to them and they will forget the British part.
Also, I doubt you'd ever find a Briton who would threaten to blow up a plane in the heat of argument.
@Saqib khan: You are right. Sickening to see them misbehave consistently. Last December I flew from JFK to Heathrow on BA. My wife was arriving on PIA 4 hours later so I waited for her at Terminal 3 Arrivals. It was nice and peaceful with thousands of passengers being received courteously. But when the PIA flight arrived I witnessed entire families with kids screaming and running wild. I felt embarrassed observing other nationalities shaking their heads at the spectacle. It is a national trait to misbehave. Starts from home.
Uh men will be men.
Nice job PIA.......:)
@Pakidude
They were british Nationals and were fighting over a girl as the ATC was told by the pilot on board. The staff tried to calm them down but no one was able to control their anger over something.... Anyway, good job PIA.....being careful is always good.
They were british citizens and were fighting over a girl as the ATC was told by the pilot on board. The staff tried to calm them down but no one was able to control their anger over something.... Anyway, good job PIA.....being careful is always good.
Well done britian - lets set an example these idiots must have redicule the staff.
Ask them if he had the same to ukba staff...
You can give men a new passport, but you can't change their DNA.
@Pakidudue they were British Nationals who were Asian background. Even the English media admitted they were British nationals. So ET should be careful not to publish something sensitive. Muslims in general and Pakistanis in perticular are as it is in alot of problems.
oh come on, they were not British.. they were "Pakistanis" who got British nationalities,,, :P
Another shining representation of Pakistanis to the world. Sigh.
Very Good, Living abroad I am tired of seeing Pakistani's Fighting with each other where ever and whenever they can, Unfortunetly I never boarded a fight bound to or from Pakistan where passenger has not created a nuisance, I hope this will convey a message.
PTI VS MQM in the plane i guess ....