ISLAMABAD, Dec 6: Immigration officers at the Islamabad airport stopped PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto from boarding a flight to Dubai on Thursday because she was carrying an expired passport.

She had left her valid passport at home, PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar told Dawn.

Benazir herself had given the same explanation to the immigration officers and sought some time saying the valid passport was on its way. But it took more time than the PIA flight PK-211 could wait. It left without her after a 10-minute delay.

Later, it dawned on her personal staff that her valid passport had been left at her Karachi residence.

Mr Babar said it was “an honest mistake and nothing else”. He said the immigration officers eventually offered to allow her to board the flight, but she declined because it was election time.

Ms Bhutto will now leave for Dubai on Friday.—Staff Reporter