1971 Indian Airlines hijacking

On 30 January 1971, an Indian Airlines Fokker F27, named Ganga, flying from Srinagar to Jammu, was hijacked by two Kashmiri separatists belonging to the National Liberation Front (NLF). The aircraft was flown to Lahore Airport in Pakistan, where the passengers and the crew were released, and was burnt down three days later. The hijackers were later identified as Hashim Qureshi and his cousin Ashraf Qureshi.

India claimed that Pakistan was behind the hijacking and subsequently banned overflights of Pakistani aircraft over the Indian territory. Pakistani authorities arrested the hijackers, and a one-man investigation committee consisting of a Pakistani judge, declared the hijacking to be an Indian conspiracy. While several people were arrested in connection with the case, only Hashim Qureshi was convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison. India never responded to Pakistani allegations, and Hashim Qureshi later stated that only NLF was behind the hijack.

Hijacking

The aircraft was flying from Srinagar to Jammu on 30 January 1971, when it was hijacked. The Jammu control tower was alerted of the hijack, and the plane was soon trailed by Indian Air Force aircraft. However, the hijackers instructed the pilot to divert towards Pakistan, and the aircraft later landed at the Lahore Airport. Pakistani Armed Forces surrounded the plane at the tarmac. Hashim Qureshi reportedly called Farooq Haider, a NLF leader, to inform that the plane had been hijacked and landed at Lahore. Farooq Haider offered to get back after consulting with Maqbool Bhat. The hijackers planned to demand the release of various NLF prisoners lodged in Indian jails for the safe return of the hostages.

However, the airport authorities managed to secure the release of all the passengers and the crew, and they were returned to India. The authorities reportedly impersonated Haider, and fooled the hijackers into releasing them. The aircraft was on the tarmac for eighty hours, during which the Pakistani security personnel thoroughly searched the aircraft. They removed papers and postal bags found in it, contrary to international law. Eventually, upon the advice of the authorities, Hashim Qureshi burnt the aircraft.