PAKISTAN ON WEDNESDAY DECIDED TO GROUND ALL FOKKER PLANES OPERATED BY STATE-RUN PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES AFTER ONE OF THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED NEAR THE EASTERN CITY OF MULTAN THIS WEEK, KILLING ALL 45 PEOPLE ON BOARD. THE DECISION THAT PIA SHOULD NOT FLY THE PLANES WAS MADE AT A MEETING OF CABINET MINISTERS THAT WAS HEADED BY PRIME MINISTER SHAUKAT AZIZ, A SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ON CONDITION OF ANONYMITY BECAUSE HE DID NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE MEDIA COMMENTS. ALL THE PIA FOKKER PLANES WILL STOP FLYING EITHER FROM WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY, HE SAID.
