PIA probes goat sacrifice 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 news of the animal sacrifice also went viral on social media.

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.