Pakistan International Airlines Flight 544

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Pakistan International Airlines Flight 544, a

Hijacking of the aircraft

The incident began while the aircraft was flying, carrying 33 passengers with 5 crew members abroad. The Karachi-bound

The three hijackers were identified as Shahsawar Baloch, Sabir Baloch and Shabir Rind.[5] They were traveling under the names of Jamal Hussain, Anwer Hussain and Ghulam Hussain.

Timeline

The siege of Flight 544

The plane landed at Hyderabad late at night. The airport manager had switched off the lights and markings of Hyderabad. Later in the night, the hijackers released

The entire airport was cordoned off by rangers and army personnel. The commandos belonging to the Haideri Company, 7th Commando Zarrar Battalion, SSG Division had been put on alert for a possible storming of the plane. All airport lights had been switched off and the road links to the airport were sealed. In order to deliver water and food, Pakistan police Gorchani and Anwar volunteered and thus police managed to reach the plane, though unarmed.

While the officers stayed in the plane to distract the hijackers, the Special Service Group prepared for the mission. In the meantime, the officers spoke Hindi to each other and convinced the hijackers that they were Indian nationals, as the hijackers had thought that they were in an Indian airport.^[3] The two hijackers who identified themselves as Sabir and Shabbir had come out with hand bombs tied on their bodies. The police officers, in order to buy time and earn good will, told the hijackers that the Pakistani embassy people had been summoned to talk to them but, at the same time insisted that they should not hurt the passengers and let the women and children go.

Final assault

The concluding part of the drama started when the hijackers allowed the women, two infants and a child to disembark following negotiations with Anwar, who met them as "Assistant Airport Manager" Ram and Gorchani posing himself as Ashok, manager of the Bhuj Airport. Deputy Commissioner Sohail Akbar Shah, joined the team as DC Rajasthan and communicated with the remaining officers in Hindi. The women and children were evacuated from the aircraft while the officers had remained in the plane. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Army had assigned the mission of Haideri Company, 7th Commando Zarrar Battalion, SSG Division, led by Major Tariq Ahmad Anees and Major Aamir Saleem, codenamed "Commando Operation". By midnight, the elite members SSG had arrived on the scene. They had begun to launch the full-scale operation to neutralize the terrorists. The Pakistan police, ranger and army vehicles were parked in front of the aircraft to prevent it from flying again. The SSG commandos had taken their positions. The SSG stormed the plane, penetrating it from the front and the back doors of the aircraft. The Deputy Commissioner of Police had said Allah ho Akbar (God is great) simultaneously, when the SSG had stormed the plane. Shocked by the slogan, one of the hijackers tried to shoot the deputy commissioner but missed, and the hijacker mistakenly fired at one of his accomplices. The operation lasted less than two minutes. All three hijackers were arrested by the SSG and rushed to Karachi where they were handed over to the Pakistan Police.^[3]

Investigation

The hijackers were said to be carrying small weapons - pistols or revolvers, although they showed some packets which they claimed were high intensity explosives. The interrogations revealed that the Baloch hijackers were opposed to

Aftermath

The

• Senior Superintendent of Police Akhtar Gorchani (Now additional Inspector General
  (D\AIG)).
• Assistant Superintendent of Police Dr. Usman Anwar (Now SSP, awarded Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal
  for gallantry for this episode later)

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Sohail Shah (disguised himself as DC Rajasthan) (decorated by citizens of Hyderabad).

Accolades

• Major Aamir (now Colonel) (decorated with
  Tamgha-e-Basalat
  , Army gallantry award)
• Major Tariq Ahmad Anees (now Colonel) (decorated with Sitara-e-Jurrat, Army gallantry award)

References