Lahore-Kuala Lumpur PIA flight diverted to Karachi due to 'technical issues'

E-Paper | March 09, 2026

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Lahore to Kuala Lumpur was diverted to Karachi due to technical reasons that developed mid-flight early Monday.

PIA spokesman Danyal Gilani said upon landing in Karachi, the aircraft was replaced with an alternate plane before flight PK-898 took off for the Malaysian capital at 4:00am local time.

"[The flight was] diverted due to technical reasons," he told Dawn.com, and did not confirm media reports alleging "hydraulic pipes had burst".

Map showing diversion of PK-898.— Courtesy: FlightAware

He said the airline diverted the plane to Karachi instead of landing in KL as it did not want the plane to be stranded in Malaysia. It was diverted to Karachi as a "precautionary measure" because PIA's engineering maintenance station is situated there, Gilani added.

A map on the plane tracking site FlightAware shows that after taking off from Lahore at 12:56am, the flight was enroute to Malaysia over India when it diverted towards Karachi.

As a result of the diversion, the PK-898 which was scheduled to land in Kuala Lumpur at around 10am landed at 2:14pm.

PIA to operate 6 ATR flights on Monday

PIA will operate a total of six ATR flights today, the airline said in a press release.

"These flights include PK-605 (Islamabad-Gilgit), PK-606 (Gilgit-Islamabad), PK-249 (Islamabad-Kabul), PK-250 (Kabul-Islamabad), PK-681 (Islamabad-Multan) and PK-682 (Multan-Islamabad)."

On Sunday, the airline operated four flights of C-130 aircraft, obtained from the Pakistan Air Force, for Gilgit and Chitral from the Benazir Bhutto International airport.

Later in the evening, the airline operated Islamabad-Multan-Islamabad flights on an ATR plane after its clearance in the shakedown test currently underway.

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Lost cause

Dec 19, 2016 02:28pm

Sacrifice one more goat please.

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Mohammad

Dec 19, 2016 02:29pm

Dear PIA, let's grow out of this taboo and work going back to your original glory and pride. Dear PIA, you were great people to fly with, so be away from politics and work your profession to the real pride which we grew up seeing and listening. World recognized airlines were putting you as a paramount to attain. For the sake of this Glory and Pride, wake up to the cause, "Professionalism"

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Dec 19, 2016 02:40pm

Why Karachi? Why not Lahore? Khi is way more far from the turning location than Lhe!!

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Dec 19, 2016 03:00pm

Prime example of nonsense.

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Mahmood

Dec 19, 2016 03:10pm

Of course it was. I bet the parts needed for this flight were siphoned off for the 777 PIA is going to give to NS for his holidays in Bosnia.

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Hassan (Karachi)

Dec 19, 2016 03:43pm

@JS Why not land in India? If it had a technical failure, it should've made landing in Punjab, India.

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Rizwan

Dec 19, 2016 03:57pm

Governments performance is an reflection of PIA miss management .May GOD save us all .As PIA is playing with the life of Pakistanis -Foreigners and its crew .

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NoNy

Dec 19, 2016 04:15pm

time for a "kala bakra". God knows how Pakistani people tolerate all this and keep quiet!

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PROF. S A Ramnan

Dec 19, 2016 04:17pm

This the style of government job in Pakistan. From PM to watchman - no one is accountable for anything. Ignoring job responsibilities but enjoying salary and then cover-up with goat sacrifice. Each day we are entering into a dark well. No one is accountable for anything. Educated and intellectual Pakistanis are completely ignored by corrupts.

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PROF. S A Ramnan

Dec 19, 2016 04:27pm

Educated youth must come forward to stop all nonsense and corruptions in our beautiful Pakistan. We are in a pathetic condition and this government is ensuring nothing was unsold.

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Sab Se Pehle Pakistan

Dec 19, 2016 04:30pm

PIA strategically distroyed by this government.

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SULAIMAN DHANANI

Dec 19, 2016 04:29pm

PIA is now in the highlights everyday. Thank God the technical fault remain under control and flight safely landed at the Karachi Airport.

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arif

Dec 19, 2016 04:40pm

PIA engineering Dept is responsible for Air Crash as there is no checks and balances in PIA in addition to the Past PPP and Musharaf govt who employed thousands of employees on political basis. CAA is also another corrupt organization who also does not care.

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Muhammad

Dec 19, 2016 04:59pm

The mao showed that they diverted while near Delhi. Why didnt they try to land over there rather than flying the plane all the way to Karachi which is a further 1 hr 45 minutes away from delhi (compared to less then a hour from lahore). P.S PIA needs to be grounded asap till they dont figure out what the hell is wrong with it or atleast ppl should stop flying the damn airlines as a protest. Use Gulf carriers, milando air, thai, sirlankan airlines, turkish even air blue etc but not PIA atleast till the company doesnt get to its senses and rectify its mistakes

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M.Saeed

Dec 19, 2016 05:04pm

Rampant technical failures is a proof of indifferent and inexperienced technical hands employed as 'political favors.'

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aKzis

Dec 19, 2016 05:14pm

@Muhammad pls read the article again. the problem that developed soon after take off was not a declared emergency. It could have landed in KL as well but for the repair it would have been stranded there for days, and it would have cost PIA millions of Rupees in terms of airport fees at KL, staff staying expenses and engineers' visit and stay charges. Hence it didnt make any sense to land in India while there was no emergency at all... It was wise of the PIA management team that they didn't land it in Lahore to avoid costs as the engineering wing is based in Karachi only, where the airlines is HQed.

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Adnan

Dec 19, 2016 05:22pm

@Sab Se Pehle Pakistan even during Musharraff. there was huge corruption old planes were bought or parts at new prices. What we see we blame

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Khwarezmi

Dec 19, 2016 05:25pm

I urge people to use other airlines. It might cost you a few thousands more but it is worth it. Your families lives are more important.

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SAT GOEL

Dec 19, 2016 05:28pm

Delhi was closer than Karachi and Delhi can handle any type of landing and repair. Passengers safety first before anything else.

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SARA

Dec 19, 2016 05:34pm

@Hassan (Karachi) they had to repair the aircraft in Karachi. As they can t do it in India

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Dr Riffat Jabeen

Dec 19, 2016 05:41pm

These corrupt leaders are leading this country towards total destruction. Sad very sad.

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The end is near

Dec 19, 2016 06:25pm

Not only PIA but Pakistan railway and Pakistan steel have also been destroyed systematically and deliberately. Lack of safety standards, mismanagement, incompetence, nepotism and above all the deep-rooted corruption in PIA have literally turned PIA aircrafts into flying coffins. Never fly with PIA for the sake of your family. Don't put your Life at risk.

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JOGI Shah

Dec 19, 2016 06:48pm

Please spare us from this rubbish called PIA. I traveled in PIA over a decade ago for some international destinations. And then switched over to Gulf Airlines. I have not seen a PIA plane since ages at international airports. This joke a.k.a PIA must be banned and shutdown. We, Pakistanis, do not have any more money to spare on this junk with our taxes.

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SMI

Dec 19, 2016 07:36pm

Why concern Authority playing with people lives ? If anything happen concern Authority should be punish

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Philosopher(from japan)

Dec 19, 2016 07:57pm

...and the miserable PIA continues to play with the precious lives of its passengers.

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NIzar

Dec 19, 2016 09:59pm

Good job media..Keep the pressure on the incompetents for the sake of our lives !