KARACHI, May 12: Thousands of passengers and would-be travellers faced a host of problems on Saturday, as about 20 domestic and international flights of PIA and about a dozen Pakistan Railways trains had to be rescheduled due to the abnormal situation in the city since Friday night.

According to sources in the two organisations, the worst sufferers were those who landed at Karachi airport on Saturday morning and afternoon. These people were left stranded at the airport because they had no means to get to their homes.

Their family members who were supposed to greet them on their arrival also faced problems because they couldn’t get to the airport in time because of the many roadblocks erected on the thoroughfares by workers of a political party.

People travelling to Karachi on the Bahauddin Zakria, Karachi and Faisalabad expresses met a similar fate as they remained confined for hours to their trains which had to be stopped at Malir, Juma and Landhi stations due to the violence erupting in localities along the track.

Mir Mohammad Khaskheli of the Pakistan Railways told Dawn at about 6pm that the departure of about a dozen fast trains — including Super Express, 43 Up, Allama Iqbal, Pakistan Express, Tezgam, Mehran, Karakorrum and Bolan — were either delayed or had to be rescheduled due to the poor situation.

He said the passengers who had been unable to travel as per their bookings could apply for a refund or plan their journeys afresh. After full resumption of operations, at least four of the outgoing trains in question — including Super, Hazarah, 43 Up and Allama Iqbal — left the City or Cantonment stations by 7.30pm, it was learnt.

A spokesman for PIA said that about 20 domestic and international flights were rescheduled because of logistical problems confronting its crew. The PK-300 took off for Islamabad at 7am and returned as PK-301, carrying Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Choudhry and some lawyers and journalists.