Abdul Manan Ghibzai, the passenger who attempted to hijack PIA flight PK 320 on March 12, 1988, has been released from prison after 37 years. But who is Abdul Manan and why did he try to hijack a passenger plane?
Getty Images
There were 143 passengers and 13 crew members on board the flight (symbolic image)
March 12, 1988, seemed like an ordinary day when Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) passenger flight PK 320 prepared to take off from Karachi for Quetta. Onboard were 143 passengers and 13 crew members. But among them was a 28-year-old man, Abdul Manan Ghibzai, who was not simply a traveler—he was the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane and divert it to Kabul, Afghanistan.
According to a declassified CIA report released in May 2012, the X-ray screening machine at Karachi Airport had broken down just as passengers were being checked in. Taking advantage of this lapse in security, Abdul Manan successfully smuggled a pistol onto the aircraft by hiding it in his sock before boarding business class.
Initially, the flight remained calm. But as the aircraft neared Quetta Airport—just seven minutes before landing—the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane, Abdul Manan, tried to storm the cockpit. A guard onboard quickly intervened, preventing him from taking control. What followed was chaos: a violent scuffle broke out between the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane, the passengers, and the guard. In the struggle, Abdul Manan opened fire, seriously injuring the security guard with three bullets.
Thanks to the brave resistance of those onboard, the attempted hijacking of the PIA plane failed. Abdul Manan was later arrested, tried, and sentenced to death. However, his punishment was reduced to life imprisonment after an appeal in higher courts.
Now, nearly 37 years later, the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane has finally been released. On August 15, 2025, Abdul Manan Ghibzai walked out of Khuzdar Central Jail in Balochistan. Superintendent Muhammad Yasin of Khuzdar Jail confirmed his release.
But the mystery remains: Who really was Abdul Manan? Why did he plan such a daring hijacking? And how did the entire operation collapse within minutes? To uncover the answers, the BBC reviewed official records, eyewitness accounts, and reports published at the time of this dramatic event.
What the eyewitness saw: ‘The plane was flying over Sibi when there was a commotion’
Mir Naseer Mengal, a well-known political figure from Balochistan, has worn many hats—he served as the caretaker Chief Minister of the province, later became Pakistan’s ambassador to Qatar, and even held the position of Federal Minister of State during General Pervez Musharraf’s rule. But beyond politics, he also carries a dramatic memory: he was an eyewitness on the same flight where the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane tried to take control.
Elected as a member of the Balochistan Assembly from Khuzdar in the non-partisan elections of 1985 under General Zia-ul-Haq, Mengal was travelling in business class that day. He recalls how events unfolded when the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane suddenly created panic mid-air.
Speaking to BBC Urdu, Naseer Mengal revealed that the very next day after the failed hijacking attempt, Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo was scheduled to arrive in Quetta. That is why members of the provincial assembly were urgently instructed to return to Quetta from wherever they were in the country. According to Mengal, this political urgency coincided with the shocking incident of the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane, making it a moment forever etched in his memory.
Getty Images
The X-ray screening machine installed at Karachi Airport broke down just as passengers boarding the flight were being screened (symbolic image)
According to Mir Naseer Mengal, all the ministers and members of the Balochistan Assembly who were in Karachi at the time were traveling on the same flight to reach Quetta on March 12.
“Since I was the minister of Balochistan, my seat was close to the cockpit,” he recalled.
Mir Naseer added that he was accompanied by another Balochistan minister, Saifullah Paracha, and Assembly member Mir Muhammad Ali Rind, both traveling in business class. Sadly, Saifullah Paracha and Mir Muhammad Ali Rind have since passed away.
While the plane was flying over the city of Sibi, near Quetta, Mir Naseer noticed a sudden jolt and saw the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane, Abdul Manan, walking toward the cockpit with a pistol in hand.
A security officer near the cockpit quickly tried to control the situation, but the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane fired shots, causing panic and injuring the officer. Meanwhile, courageous passengers in business class overpowered him and managed to snatch his pistol.
Mir Naseer said, “When we dared to intervene, the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane had one foot inside the cockpit and the other outside. Had he fully entered the cockpit, it might have been much harder to control him.”
He added that passengers also punched the hijacker, injuring his face, and eventually tied his hands and feet.
An archival report by the American news agency United Press International, published on March 12, 1988, stated that Abdul Manan had first gone to the washroom before attempting to enter the cockpit. Pakistan’s official news agency APP, also on board, reported that as soon as the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane was subdued, passengers slapped and punched him, causing blood to flow from his face.
‘The pilot said that the plane was requested to be taken to Afghanistan’
Mir Naseer Mengal recalled that when the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane was finally subdued, the pilot announced that Abdul Manan, after reaching the cockpit door, had loudly demanded to divert the flight to Kandahar, Afghanistan’s second largest city, instead of landing at Quetta. However, a declassified CIA report suggested that the hijacker’s real target was Kabul.
A few minutes after the hijacking attempt failed, the pilot safely landed the aircraft at Quetta Airport, prompting heartfelt thanks from all passengers. Abdul Manan was immediately handed over to the authorities upon landing.
Mir Naseer explained that due to the Prime Minister’s visit, a large number of ministers, assembly members, and other government officials were onboard. According to him, this may have been the reason the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane specifically targeted this flight—to exert maximum pressure on Pakistan because of the high-profile passengers.
The CIA report also noted that the hijacker intended to demand the release of his imprisoned colleagues, which might have been the motive behind why the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane attempted the bold takeover.
EPA
The CIA report claims that the hijacker wanted to take the flight to Kabul.
Medical assistance to injured security personnel
Saleem Shahid, a senior journalist with Pakistan’s English daily Dawn, was among the first reporters to reach Quetta Airport after receiving news of the incident involving the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane.
Recalling the events from 37 years ago, he said that he was then reporting from Quetta for Star and Hurriyat, two dailies published by the Dawn Group in Karachi. Upon receiving a call from Dawn editor Azhar Abbas, who informed him about the attempted hijacking, Saleem immediately grabbed his camera and headed to Quetta Airport.
At that time, the main building of Quetta Airport was small, and with security not as tight as today, planes could be clearly seen taking off and landing even from the surrounding forests. On that day, Saleem not only photographed the plane but also spoke to passengers and PIA officials about the ordeal.
He recalled that the security personnel injured while trying to restrain the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane were led by Liaquat Ali, who was shot in the back. According to an archival report by United Press International, published on March 12, 1988, two doctors were onboard, including Dr. Louis Koster from Denmark, who provided first aid to the injured officer.
Saleem added, “Passengers and officials told me that Abdul Manan Ghibzai first went to the toilet near the cockpit. After leaving there, he attempted to storm the cockpit, becoming the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane.”
Getty Images
Two doctors were also on board the plane as passengers, including Dr. Louis Koster from Denmark, who provided first aid to the injured officer, Ali, who had been shot twice in the back and once in the hand (symbolic image).
Who is Abdul Manan Ghibzai?
Abdul Manan Ghibzai, the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane, originally belonged to Qila Abdullah, a border district of Balochistan that lies close to Afghanistan. According to senior journalist Hayatullah Achakzai, Manan was engaged in business activities and owned shops in Qila Abdullah, though his family had shifted from the area some years ago.
A CIA report titled “Terrorism Review” (March 28, 1988) alleged that Abdul Manan was involved in smuggling weapons and drugs, and suggested that his possible motive behind the PIA plane hijacking attempt was to secure the release of his imprisoned associates.
As per Pakistani and foreign media, Abdul Manan was just 35 years old when he made the failed bid. The hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane was initially sentenced to death, but higher courts later accepted his appeal, reducing the death penalty to life imprisonment along with a fine of one million rupees.
He was shifted across several prisons before being moved to Central Jail Khuzdar. Jail Superintendent Muhammad Yasin revealed that Manan completed his life term but remained behind bars for additional months due to his inability to pay the heavy fine. His eventual release became possible only when the fine was cleared by an NGO, the Saturday Welfare Group, which specializes in helping prisoners across Pakistan who remain confined solely because of unpaid fines.
Muhammad Yasin recalled that Abdul Manan spent 15 long years in Khuzdar Jail. He added that every prisoner, upon release, meets the superintendent for final paperwork — and he still remembers the moment when the hijacker who attempted to hijack PIA plane entered his office, overwhelmed with joy after receiving his release warrant.
Aviation history, however, has witnessed many other unusual episodes alongside the case of Abdul Manan. For instance, PIA once ran a controversial advertisement with the slogan “We are coming to Paris”, which was criticized as absurd and triggered an investigation. In another case of PIA plane hijacking, Pakistan’s Hyderabad Airport was disguised as India’s Bhoj to mislead hijackers.
There were also bizarre and frightening incidents beyond hijackings. One passenger recalled that he had just recited the Kalima moments before a bird strike nearly caused catastrophe. On another Eid day in Rawalpindi, the Pakistan Air Force shot down an Indian spy plane for the very first time.
Courage and quick thinking also marked some stories. Noor Khan, the fearless PIA chief, once single-handedly subdued a hijacker inside the cockpit, while in the unforgettable
FAQs About the PIA Plane Hijacking Incident
What was the main motive behind the PIA plane hijacking attempt?
According to CIA and media reports, the hijacker Abdul Manan Ghibzai allegedly wanted to secure the release of his jailed colleagues. Some reports also suggest that the PIA plane hijacking attempt was linked to drug and arms smuggling activities.
How did the hijacker manage to board the PIA plane with a weapon?
Eyewitness accounts claim that the hijacker who attempted to hijack the PIA plane carried a pistol hidden inside his sock. Security checks at that time were not as strict as today, which made the hijacking attempt possible.
What punishment did Abdul Manan Ghibzai receive after the failed hijacking?
Initially, Abdul Manan was sentenced to death for attempting to hijack the PIA plane. However, higher courts later reduced his sentence to life imprisonment along with a fine of one million rupees. He spent
When was Abdul Manan released after the PIA plane hijacking case?
Abdul Manan Ghibzai, the hijacker who attempted to hijack a PIA plane, was released after completing his life sentence. His release became possible when a welfare organization paid his pending fine, allowing him to walk free after nearly 37 years.