PM Imran Khan returns to New York after his plane develops technical fault

UNITED NATIONS: A plane carrying Prime Minister Imran Khan and his entourage returned to New York on Friday night after developing a technical fault while heading to Pakistan.

The prime minister had taken off from New York's Kennedy International Airport on Friday evening in a special jet placed at his disposal by the Saudi government, but it flew back in a couple of hours to have the problem fixed.

Pakistan's Ambassador to United Nations (UN), Maleeha Lodhi, who had earlier seen off PM Khan, rushed back to the airport to be on hand.

The prime minister, who led the Pakistan delegation to the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, waited at the airport for some time while technicians tried to fix the fault, but more work is needed and they will try to complete it Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Lodhi escorted the prime minister back to the Roosevelt Hotel where he was staying during his hectic seven-day trip.

Officials said if the plane is not fixed in the morning, the prime minister would take a commercial flight back to Pakistan where he is anxious to visit earthquake-hit areas and visit the affected families.

During his "Mission Kashmir" visit to New York, the prime minister addressed the 193-member Assembly, attended UN summit meetings, met a number of world leaders on the sidelines of the session, including United States President Donald Trump, addressed think-tanks and interacted with international media.