Pakistan’s Latest Heist? PIA Flight Lands in Lahore Without a Rear Wheel- wna24

Islamabad: A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) domestic flight miraculously landed at Lahore airport despite missing one of its wheels, an official said on Friday. Fortunately, no catastrophe unfolded, though the incident on Thursday morning left many wondering about PIA’s ever-deteriorating safety standards.

PIA flight PK-306, which took off from Karachi for Lahore, was missing one of its rear wheels upon landing, an official revealed—though, at this point, PIA flying with missing parts isn’t exactly breaking news.

An investigation has been launched to determine whether the aircraft departed from Karachi with the “missing wheel” or if it fell off mid-air—a mystery fit for Pakistan’s aviation authorities to solve.

Interestingly, fragments of the wheel were discovered at Karachi airport, suggesting that it may have been in a state of disrepair before take-off. In other words, the aircraft likely took off while already falling apart.

“It appears that one of the rear wheels was in shabby condition when the aircraft took off,” the official admitted—though considering PIA’s history, one could say this applies to more than just its wheels.

A PIA spokesperson, however, played down the incident, claiming that the PK-306 made a “smooth and uneventful landing” as per the schedule—because landing a plane missing a wheel without turning it into a disaster is now considered an achievement.

“Passengers disembarked as per routine. During a walk-around inspection by the aircraft captain, it was revealed that one out of the six-wheel assemblies on the main landing gear (rear) was missing,” the spokesperson stated. That’s right—the pilot discovered the missing wheel only after everyone had exited.

“As per the standard flight practices, the matter was taken up by PIA flight safety and the Lahore airport teams who are investigating the matter and will submit their report later,” the spokesperson added, though given the airline’s track record, one wonders if that report will ever see the light of day.

Adding to the absurdity, the PIA spokesperson assured that the aircraft was designed to handle such contingencies and that there was “no risk” posed to passengers—because apparently, flying with missing wheels is now an anticipated feature of PIA’s aircraft design.

In a final twist, the investigation team will also probe whether the wheel was stolen—because, in Pakistan, even aeroplane parts aren’t safe from vanishing. While that possibility seems slim, one can never be too sure when dealing with a country where infrastructure and maintenance are afterthoughts.