Pakistan: PIA probes goat slaughter at airport before ATR flight

Security officials and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) have begun an investigation to ascertain how a goat was slaughtered at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport hangar before an ATR flight as a butcher's knife was brought into the restricted zone.

Security officials had earlier raised concerns about the sacrifice taking place just before the take off of a PIA ATR-42 flight on December 18 as the entry of any individual and weapon is subject to security clearance in the area.

The Dawn quoted a senior security official, as saying that security personnel who were on duty at the time will be questioned.

PIA workers had sacrificed a goat for Sadaqah before the ATR-42 to offer prayers for the safety of the passengers on one of the airline's planes which was given a clearance to take off and was the first ATR-42 flight to take off since the shake down tests of the entire fleet.

PIA spokesperson Danyal Gillani said the goat was sacrificed by local employees as a mark of gratitude after the first ATR plane was cleared.