ISLAMABAD, May 25: Pakistani security personnel impersonating as Indian officials overpowered three Baluchis, who hijacked a domestic PIA flight to oppose a possible nuclear test by Islamabad in Baluchistan, after a brief shoot-out at the country's Hyderabad airport ending a nine-hour long drama.All the 29 passengers and five crew members were rescued unharmed but one of the hijackers and a major in the commando group were injured in the scuffle.
The brief operation around 2.50 am local time came after the apparently ``inexperienced'' hijackers were duped by Pakistani officials that they were on Indian territory and were negotiating with Indian officials and the Pakistani envoy to New Delhi, sources said.
The final act of the drama began when the hijackers in their mid-20s agreed to release women and children after the Chief Secretary of Sindh tried to negotiate with them posing as the Pakistani envoy to New Delhi.
As the women and children were getting off the plane the crew members prompted otherpassengers to follow suit which resulted in a melee and gave enough opportunities to the lurking commandos to rush in and overpower the hijackers.
Commandos fired some shots when one of the hijackers standing at the entrance of the aircraft opened fire. However, no one suffered bullet injury, but Major Aamir Salim of ISI and one of the hijackers were injured in the scuffle. The hijackers had boarded the Karachi-bound plane at Gawadar port city under assumed names protesting against possible N- tests.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
