Yousuf Raza Gilani's aircraft makes emergency landing in Rawalpindi

ISLAMABAD: A special aircraft carrying Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and several federal ministers made an emergency landing today shortly after taking off from a military airbase in the Pakistani garrison city of Rawalpindi.

The aircraft, which was going to Sukkur in Sindh province, returned to Chaklala airbase shortly after take-off and made an emergency landing as it had developed technical problems, TV news channels quoted officials as saying.

All persons on board the aircraft, including Gilani and Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan, were safe, officials told the media.

The pilot informed the control tower of technical problems and then made the emergency landing, they said.

The exact nature of the technical problems could not be immediately ascertained.

The premier and other ministers were on their way to Sindh to participate in special events to be held tomorrow to mark the death anniversary of President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

The premier and his delegation later left for Sukkur in a different aircraft.