Stranded Pakistanis in China: Supreme Court summons Shaheen Air owner

LAHORE: The Supreme Court has summoned the owner of Shaheen Air on Tuesday, August 7, after the Chief Justice of Pakistan took notice of Pakistani passengers stranded at an airport in China earlier this week.

As many as 300 Pakistanis were left stranded in the Chinese port city of Guangzhou after their Shaheen Air flight was abruptly cancelled on July 29, following a dispute over payment of arrears totalling over Rs1.5 billion between the airline and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The airline’s international operations — except Haj flights — were suspended several days ago by the CAA owing to the mounting debt.

The airline, however, was granted special permission by the CAA to bring back stranded Pakistanis from China after Geo News brought to light the plight of the stranded passengers. Many were left with nowhere to go after their visas expired, while others complained they could not afford the more expensive tickets of alternative airlines.

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, heard the case at the Lahore Registry today.

The airline's regional director informed the bench that all airlines, with the exception of Saudi airlines, had been cancelled at Guangzhou airport. The official also told the court that only Shaheen Air operates flights from Lahore to Guangzhou.

Expressing his dissatisfaction at the official's response, the chief justice ordered Shaheen Air to ensure all stranded passengers are brought back to Pakistan before Monday. 

The court ordered the owner of Shaheen Air to appear before it on Tuesday, August 7, and directed the CAA to make available a report on the condition of the plane sent to fetch the passengers from China.   

Stranded passengers to be brought back tonight: Shaheen Air

A Shaheen Air International flight will bring back Pakistanis stranded in the Chinese city of Guangzhou on Friday, a spokesperson from the airline said. 

The spokesperson said the airline's plane landed in China earlier today and will take off with the stranded Pakistanis at 10:35pm local time. 

The flight will carry the stranded passengers as well as those who booked their tickets for August 3, the spokesperson said, adding that the airline has been bearing food and accommodation expenses of passengers stuck at the airport since July 29.