On a foreign website, news regarding a Pakistani national suffering heart attack on 11 June during a flight from Karachi to Chicago appeared, and said that the pilot contacted the base and asked for permission to divert and land at Istanbul to provide medical treatment to the passenger. The impression given in a PR by our national flag carrier was as if the MD PIA or other high officials had to be contacted for permission to divert the flight and they so graciously gave one to save one life.
I wonder what message this statement has given to the world, a common practice in airlines where the pilots in emergency situation are authorised to divert to nearest station at their own discretion to save human life, but in Pakistan a higher official is needed to allow the diversion.
Since the officers in our national flag carrier have so little to cherish and are being exposed on national media every day for corruption and dancing, they thought let’s make some image out of this news. I feel sorry that they selected this news which here in Europe is seen as a negative one as if the pilot could not have taken a decision without asking for permission from higher management.
MUJEEB RAHMAN
Oslo, Norway