LAHORE, Nov 17: The Airport Security Force thrashed some 20 passengers, two of them women, for protesting against delayed departure of their Karachi-bound flight early on Thursday. The ASF called police force from a police post nearby and got six passengers arrested as well.

A source in the immigration wing said the manhandling of the passengers created panic among people. Those who came to receive or saw their relatives off were also seen running to escape thrashing.

“This is unbelievable. No where in the civilized world are passengers treated like this by the airport security agencies,” a passenger was quoted as having said.

The PIA’s flight (PK-405) was scheduled to leave for Karachi at 4.45am. However, the ticket-holders were informed that it had been delayed owing to “operational reasons” and they would be sent to their destination by another flight (PK-303) at 11am. The plane was to carry 112 passengers.

Sources said some of the passengers got infuriated and chanted slogans against the national airline. They said the passengers stopped the PIA crew, which was to take its Islamabad flight at 8am from entering the boarding lounge to lodge their protest.

They said some VIPs who were to board their Islamabad-bound flight called the ASF to control the situation. The ASF and police then baton-charged the protesting passengers and did not even spare the women.

As a result, more than 20 passengers suffered minor injuries. The ASF, later, got registered a case against six of them — Muhammad Azhar, Muhammad Ali Abbas, Muhammad Arshad, Aun Akbar, Osman Pal and Khan Malik — under sections 353, 186 and 143 with the Sarwar Road police station.

ASF Inspector Muhammad Aslam told police that the passengers had attacked the ASF officials, who were performing their duties. “They (passengers) created disturbance in the airport lounge and hindrance in the official duty,” the inspector was quoted as having said in the FIR.

A PIA spokesman told Dawn that the flight was delayed owing to operational reasons. They (passengers) were “entertained and taken care of by the PIA officials at the airport and were later adjusted on PK-303 for Karachi.

“The PIA apologises to the passengers for the inconvenience,” he said.