Foreign airline sends empty coffin instead of deceased Pakistani’s body from India

Amid cross-border tensions, a Pakistani youth receiving medical care in Chennai passed away. His family returned to Lahore while his body was to be repatriated via Sri Lankan Airlines. Upon arrival in Karachi, the family found the coffin empty; the deceased's body was reportedly left behind in Colombo due to airline staff negligence.

Aryan Shah, 23, was admitted to a hospital in Chennai on February 12. 

According to his doctors, he was suffering from interstitial lung disease; his condition was critical, and he had been on life support via Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) for 70 days. 

The patient was being treated in India on a medical visa and was accompanied by his parents.

Following his death, the deceased's family memebers were repatriated via the Wagah border, while his body has not yet been returned to Pakistan.

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A Chennai immigration department official stated that Aryan's body was set to depart from Colombo to Lahore on Monday, but due to the negligence of airline authorities, an empty coffin was sent to Lahore while the deceased's body remained in Colombo.

Aryan Shah hailed from Quetta and had been treated in a private hospital in India, but he could not survive.

According to sources, Shah's parents were sent back to Pakistan, while the hospital administration refused to hand over his remains until the bills were cleared. 

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Subsequently, on the appeal of the family, the Chief Minister of Balochistan, Sarfaraz Bugti, ssettled the medical expenses and urged the repatriation of Shah's body.

Notably, India revoked all existing visas for Pakistani nationals on April 27, except for medical visas, which remained valid until April 29.