Pakistani officials return after Kabul airport threats

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) – A Pakistani parliamentary delegation's visit to Afghanistan was postponed just minutes before the plane carrying them was about to land at the Kabul airport on Thursday owing to security threats.

According to officials at the Hamid Karzai International Airport, both domestic and international flights were suspended after the threat.

Secretary of the Wolesi Jirga (lower house) Abdul Qadir Zazai told Anadolu Agency that Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar was heading the parliamentary delegation on a planned three-day visit.

He said Wolesi Jirga Speaker Mir Rahman Rehmani spoke over the phone with his Pakistani counterpart and the two agreed to reschedule the trip.

“Speaker's visit to Kabul postponed as the airport was closed due to the security threat. The plane was about to descent when the control tower informed about the airport closure. New dates for the visit will be decided after mutual consultations,” Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan's special representative for Afghanistan, tweeted.

Pakistan International Airlines has also confirmed that its Kabul-bound PK-249 flight has returned to Islamabad due to security reasons.

Qaisar’s visit was aimed at improving bilateral relations, trade and investment, and regional peace. He was invited for the visit by his Afghan counterpart during a trip to Islamabad last year.