In a recent countrywide report compiled by the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on bird-strike incidents experienced by flights, it said there have been 60 such cases in just nine months. 

The report released today said Lahore scored highest in such accidents with 21 cases compared with Islamabad and Karachi that trail it with only 13 and eight cases respectively.

A total of 21 fligths around Lahore airport have been struck by birds in this 9-month period, the PIA report said.

On the other hand, Peshawar came fourth with six incidents in this period and Sukkur airport conceded four strikes, the report said.

It also included Quetta and Multan for each experiencing one incident.

Earlier last week, an Istanbul-bound plane suffered a bird strike shortly after take-off from Allama Iqbal International Airport.

Sources said a foreign airline’s plane was struck by a bird, as a result of which it suffered damage. However, they added, the pilot of the aircraft managed to land it back at Lahore airport safely.

Separately yesterday from the aviation realm, the Airport Security Force (ASF) claimed to have foiled a major bid to smuggle over 1500 kilogrammes of heroin out of the country and arrested an alleged smuggler from Karachi airport.

According to ASF officials, the heroin was recovered from the passenger willing to travel to Dubai from Jinnah International Airport, Karachi.

The recovered 1560kg heroin was concealed in the shoes of the passenger and the value of the seized heroin is estimated at Rs15 million, the spokesman said.