Qatari plane denied landing in Kandahar

 KANDAHAR CITY (PAN): An unknown small Qatari plane was denied landing by aviation authorities on the airport in southern Kandahar province, officials said on Monday.

The aircraft was forced to return to the skies by the airport personnel, said the governor’s spokesman, Javed Faisal, who insisted it was the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation to grant or deny landing to a plane.

He said the men onboard had visas, but they were not allowed to land. “Airport officials in provinces have no authority to allow a plane into airports. It is the responsibility of the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation to allow or reject a plane,” he said.

A security official, who declined to be identified, said that those aboard included two Pakistanis, an Indian and four Arabs.

He said wealthy Arabs used to travell provinces for sightseeing without seeking permission from the central government. The official had no idea why the individuals chose to visit Kandahar in plane.

However, officials at the aviation and foreign ministries said the tourists were denied permission to land when they contacted the two ministries.  The plane was to land in Balkh, but it tried to land in Kandahar for unknown reasons, they said.

Presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi confirmed the incident, saying it was discussed at the weekly National Security Council (NSC) on Sunday.

Nangarhar governor’s spokesman, Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, rejected the claim that the men on the plane had been invited by Gul Agha Sherzai.

mm/myn/ma

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