The Pakistani authorities were reportedly trying to negotiate with the hijackers even as they were flying out of Pakistan, but there was no response from the plane. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke to General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's chief executive, tonight, asking him to take all steps to ensure the safety of the 186 passengers and crew on board. The Pakistan government has provided Indian High Commissioner Satish Lambah with a helicopter to fly from Islamabad to Lahore, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh told reporters tonight. Singh spoke to his counterpart Abdul Sattar asking him to take all steps to guarantee the passengers's safety. The hijackers said they would not harm the women or children on board, the minister said.
Efforts are on to establish direct contact with the hijackers.
Sources at Lahore said Pakistan army troops surrounded the plane and stopped all other flights. No one was allowed entry in or out of the airport. All the lights at the airport were switched off before the Airbus landed. The plane had very little fuel when it landed. Sources say ambulances were seen driving into the airport.