Twelve pro-Khalistani hijackers of the Indian Airlines Boeing-737 surrendered to authorities in the United Arab Emirates this evening and released all 68 passengers and six crew members unharmed, about 38 hours after they had seized the aircraft over Pathankot.
The released hostages are expected back in the Capital early tomorrow morning. Seven hostages, including five women and an infant, freed at Lahore and Karachi, have already arrived in Delhi this evening.
The hijackers were taken into custody by the local authorities and whisked away.
The welcome development followed nearly eight hours of nonstop negotiations between the hijackers and leaders of the UAE Government led by Defence Minister, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, who were ably assisted by Indian Ambassador, Mr Isharat Aziz, and Capt. B. K. Bhasin, Director of Flight Safety of the Indian Airlines.
India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, who was in Dubai was returning home from Rumania, also joined the talks.
During the negotiations which appeared to be on the verge of collision on several occasions, the hijackers stuck to their demands, including safe passage to the Untitled States and assurance that the UAE Government would respect its promises.
The UAE authorities in consultation with other concerned parties is understood to have promised a seven-day asylum to the pro-Khalistani Sikh hijackers before their departure to the United States.
The passengers were allowed to leave the aircraft .soon after the hijackers and the UAE Government came to a workable understanding.
First a batch of 25 passengers came out of the Boeing and they were almost immediately followed by the remaining passengers and members of the crew.
The released hostages were taken in two airport authority buses to the air-conditioned international transit lounge for rest and refreshments.
The Delhi-Chandigarh-Srinagar plane, which was seized by 12 kirpan-wielding Sikh extremists soon after it left Chandigarh…