I AM a practising lawyer based in Karachi and right now I am enrolled at University of Bradford, studying for an LLM. Owing to Covid-19, I am stranded in Bradford, United Kingdom.

After the spread of the virus I was informed by the Pakistan High Commission in Bradford through an email that PIA was booking a ticket for April 7. I got my ticket booked for April 9 for a 3.00pm flight from Manchester to Islamabad.

As it was a special flight, I paid a higher amount to book this ticket, but on April 7, I received a call on my UK contact number from the PIA helpline. They informed me that the flight has been cancelled and a new ticket had been issued for April 17.

I once again received a call from PIA on April 14, telling me that my ticket for April 17, had been cancelled and the new date for travelling was April 29. However, it is believed that on April 9, there was a special flight from London to Islamabad to accommodate VIPs and their families.

Owing to this gross act of discrimination by PIA, my family and several other families are facing hardship as they want to return to Pakistan. Besides, there are other Pakistanis, including businessmen, patients suffering from cardiac conditions and students whose families are suffering because of PIA’s discriminatory policy.

I appeal to the prime minister to arrange flights from the UK to Pakistan to repatriate stranded Pakistanis.

Muhammad Mustafa
Bradford, United Kingdom

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2020