Most flights by Pakistan's ailing national airline have been grounded, a company spokesman says, as striking employees disrupt operations to protest against a government privatisation plan.
The strike is the latest in a months-long series of protests against the plan to sell off part of Pakistan International Airlines, among companies the government has pledged to privatise under an International Monetary Fund deal.
The grounding of flights follows the deaths of two PIA employees and injuries to several others during clashes on Tuesday with security personnel armed with water cannons, tear gas and batons near the international airport in Karachi. The two men died of gunshot wounds, hospital officials said, though police and Pakistan's paramilitary force have denied opening fire on the crowd of several hundred as it marched toward the Jinnah International Airport in the southern city.
Airline spokesman Danyal Gilani told Reuters: "Most of the PIA flights are not being allowed to take off from any of the airports, domestic or international," although some returning international flights were being allowed to land.