PIA Flight PK-554 was a Fokker F27 that was hijacked by three armed men from Baloch Students Organisation (BSO) on May 25, 1998. The flight took off from Gwadar International Airport and had 33 passengers with 5 crewmembers. The flight had a last stopover at Turbat Airport and was destined to land at Hyderabad Airport. The hijackers wanted the plane to be taken to New Delhi, India. The pilot asked for permission from the Indian Government and this conversation was caught on by Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The pilot however refused on the pretext that the fuel is not sufficient for such a journey.

In the meantime, he pretended to be near Bhoj, India, and instead contacted Hyderabad Airport General Manager. The hijackers thought that they have crossed over to India listening to this conversation. PAF interceded and then asked the plane to be landed where it was supposed to, in Hyderabad. The Army’s Special Service Group’s Haideri Company, the 7th Commando Zarrar Battalion along with the elite members of the Army Rangers stormed the aircraft and the Pakistan Police surrounded the plane. The operation was successful and the hijackers were captured and sentenced to death in Pakistan.

None of the passengers or crewmembers got hurt. The hijackers were identified to be Iranian-Balochs who were travelling under false names. The hijackers claimed to be armed with guns and high intensity explosives. The reason they hijacked the plane was because of their opposition to any nuclear test in Balochistan, which eventually were carried with success on May 28, 1998.