This incident took place on May 24, 1998 when a PIA Fokker plane took off from Gwadar Airport for Karachi. Shortly after the plane ascended, three passengers drew weapons and ordered the plane to be diverted towards New Delhi.
The plane’s captain Uzair Khan, informed the hijackers that he had very little fuel and could not make it to New Delhi. The hijackers had a map and were trying to find an Indian airport where the Fokker plane could land.
The plane had 33 passengers and five crew members on board. Captain Uzair Khan told the hijackers that he could land the plane at Bhuj Airport in Gujarat, India. After some discussion, the hijackers allowed the plane to head towards Bhuj.
One hijacker was in the cockpit with the captain, and two others were holding the passengers at gunpoint. The captain circled the plane for a while, waiting for the evening to fall. Then, he told the hijackers, using the map, that they had crossed into Indian airspace. He then made a distress call in English, mentioning Bhuj Airport and stating that the plane had been hijacked and he wanted to land there. The control tower did not immediately respond to the captain’s message because he had directed it to Hyderabad Airport in Pakistan, not Bhuj.
The staff at Hyderabad Airport, being alert, allowed the captain to land. The captain brought the plane to a stop at a distance from the terminal building to prevent the hijackers from knowing the true location. It had become night, and the airport staff turned off the terminal lights to avoid the hijackers reading any signs that might give away the location.
The staff immediately informed the police. SSP Hyderabad, Akhtar Gorchani, and a young ASP, Usman Anwar, reached the airport. They quickly instructed the local authorities to ensure that no loudspeakers from mosques would broadcast any azan (call to prayer). Shortly after, the hijackers sent a message through the plane’s engineer, claiming to be people of Baba Jan and saying they were ready for an interview with India’s ZEE TV.
Akhtar Gorchani and Usman Anwar decided not to wait for commandos from Karachi and devised their own strategy. Akhtar Gorchani disguised himself in civilian clothes and became Manoj Kumar, the airport manager, while Usman Anwar pretended to be the assistant manager, Ram Chander.
It was very hot, and when the hijackers requested water, both police officers took bottles to the plane. The hijackers inquired about ZEE TV, and the two officers realized that all three hijackers were Baloch terrorists, and they had hijacked the plane with the help of the Indian intelligence agency, RAW.
A few days earlier, India had conducted nuclear tests in Pokhran, and Pakistan was preparing to retaliate with its own nuclear tests. India had used these three Baloch youth to hijack the plane as part of a blackmailing plot against Pakistan.
Usman Anwar, posing as Ram Chander, informed the hijackers that ZEE TV did not have a cameraman in Bhuj and that a team was coming from New Delhi. Meanwhile, Usman realized that the hijackers were unarmed with grenades and only had two pistols.
Then, Major Amir Hashmi from the Rangers arrived with food and, after a while, Manoj Kumar, Ram Chander, and Amir Hashmi attacked the hijackers and captured them. During the scuffle, one hijacker accidentally shot his own comrade.
Usman Anwar was injured, but reinforcements soon arrived, and all three hijackers were arrested. Once the operation was complete, a flight attendant cried out, asking to be sent back to Pakistan. When told that they were still in Pakistan, she cried tears of joy.
The leader of the hijackers was Shahswaar Baloch, and his two companions, Sabir Baloch and Shabbir Rand, were affiliated with the Baloch Students Organization (BSO). These three had smuggled weapons onto the plane with the help of an ASF (Airport Security Force) officer at Gwadar Airport, and they had traveled under false identities. They had hoped to use the plane to force Pakistan into political submission, but their plan failed, thanks to the swift and brave actions of a few key individuals.
In a twist of fate, Pakistan’s nuclear tests just days later would make it an official nuclear power. The hijackers paid the price for their attempt at sabotage, as they were executed on May 28, 2015, nearly two decades after their failed mission.
This incident, a dramatic clash of wills and cunning, would leave a lasting mark on the minds of those who lived through it. Akhtar Gorchani later rose to lead the Intelligence Bureau, and Usman Anwar, the young ASP who played a pivotal role, went on to become the Inspector General of Punjab. Their bravery in 1998 defines a key moment in Pakistan’s history, reminding us that the greatest victories often come from intellect and courage, not force.
Fast forward to 2025, and the same Baloch terrorists attempted another hijacking—this time of a train, traveling from Quetta to Peshawar. However, times had changed. In 1998, two unarmed police officers had subdued armed hijackers. By 2025, Pakistan had transformed into a nuclear power, and the hijackers would find that their ambitions were met with unyielding resolve. The age of hijacking for political leverage was over.
This dramatic tale from history stands as a testament to the bravery of those who risked their lives in the face of terror—and to the power of resilience when facing the most daunting challenges
