KARACHI: The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) said on Thursday it was not aware of the reported presence of Israeli nationals on a flydubai flight that made an emergency landing in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi earlier this week.
Flydubai flight FZ-569 was en route to Colombo, Sri Lanka from Dubai, when a woman aboard the plane fell ill, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing at the Jinnah International Airport on Wednesday.
Israeli newspaper, The Times of Israel, reported the flight was carrying two Israeli citizens among passengers, citing the Israeli foreign ministry. The ministry said it had “worked, together with others, to ensure the welfare” of the Israelis, the report added.
But a PCAA spokesperson, Saifullah Khan, said Pakistani authorities were unaware of the presence of Israeli nationals on the flight.
“The report about the Ffydubai flight 569 just had that it was en route to Colombo from Dubai and the condition of some woman [aboard] worsened and it landed at 11pm [on Wednesday] in Karachi,” Khan told Arab News.
“But she expired. Her body was sent to [Pakistani charity] Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation in Malir and the plane left at 3am [on Thursday]. It was not mentioned [in the report] how many passengers were aboard and what their nationalities were.”
The woman, who later died on the plane, was a Sri Lankan national, according to Khan. Her body was flown to Sri Lanka on another flight.
Pakistan does not recognize nor have diplomatic relations with Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza in October last year, Pakistan has repeatedly raised the issue at the United Nations and OIC and demanded international powers and multilateral bodies stop Israeli military actions in the Palestinian territory.
Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, told The Independent’s Urdu service the flydubai flight was diverted to Karachi due to a medical emergency.
“The Sri Lankan woman aboard the plane was examined by a medical team and declared dead, after which the body was taken off the plane,” she said. “No other passenger got off the plane.”
Pakistan says unaware Israeli nationals aboard plane that made emergency landing in Karachi
https://arab.news/9swyh
Pakistan says unaware Israeli nationals aboard plane that made emergency landing in Karachi
- Flydubai flight to Colombo made emergency landing at Jinnah International Airport on Wednesday
- Israeli media quoted the Israeli foreign ministry as saying flight was also carrying two Israeli citizens
Pakistan PM speaks to UAE president, calls for enhanced cooperation
- Shehbaz Sharif lauds UAE’s economic support in challenging times
- Both leaders discuss a range of issues, agree to stay in close contact
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday praised the United Arab Emirates for what he described as steadfast financial and political support during Islamabad’s recent economic crisis, as both sides signaled plans to deepen bilateral cooperation.
In a statement issued after Sharif spoke with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Prime Minister’s Office said the two leaders discussed matters of mutual interest and agreed to stay in close contact.
“The Prime Minister lauded the UAE’s consistent and unwavering support to Pakistan, that had helped the country navigate through difficult challenges,” the statement said, adding the two leaders “reaffirmed their shared desire to further enhance mutually beneficial cooperation between Pakistan and the UAE.”
The UAE, along with other friendly nations in the region, provided critical financial assistance to the South Asian country during a balance-of-payments crisis that strained Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves and pressured its currency. Islamabad subsequently secured an International Monetary Fund program as part of broader stabilization efforts.
Sharif, in a post on X, described the exchange as positive.
“We fondly recalled our recent meetings and reaffirmed our shared resolve to further strengthen the historic, fraternal ties between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, and to expand mutually beneficial cooperation,” he wrote.
Millions of Pakistanis live and work in the UAE, forming one of the largest expatriate communities in the Gulf state.
Remittances from the UAE rank among Pakistan’s top sources of foreign currency inflows and play a significant role in supporting the country’s external accounts.
UAE-based companies are also investing in Pakistan, helping Islamabad develop its seaports to facilitate regional trade.
