Former Singaporean diplomat Bilahari Kausikan has recalled a dramatic episode from the 1991 hijacking of Singapore Airlines Flight SQ117, claiming that an attempt to contact former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto ended with the response, “Madam is sleeping and cannot be disturbed.” Kausikan shared the incident while addressing a global conference, using it to illustrate what he described as Pakistan’s long-standing governance challenges.
The aircraft, carrying 114 passengers and 11 crew members, was hijacked by four Pakistani terrorists shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur on March 26, 1991. The plane landed at Singapore’s Changi Airport, where Kausikan, then serving in Singapore’s foreign service, was part of the team handling negotiations with the hijackers.
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According to Kausikan, the hijackers insisted on speaking with Benazir Bhutto, who was out of power at the time, while Nawaz Sharif served as Pakistan’s Prime Minister. After tracking down Bhutto’s residence with the help of Pakistan’s high commissioner, Kausikan said he finally reached someone who spoke English. However, after explaining the urgency of the situation, he was told that “Madam is sleeping” and could not be disturbed.
Negotiations eventually failed, prompting Singaporean commandos to storm the aircraft and kill all four hijackers. All passengers and crew members were rescued safely.
Reflecting on the episode, Kausikan argued that Pakistan’s current problems stem largely from decades of political mismanagement, economic weaknesses and the influence of extremist groups rather than geography. He described Pakistan as a country “teetering on the brink of failure,” adding that diplomatic successes alone cannot address its internal structural issues. Kausikan further remarked that global concern over Pakistan is primarily linked to its nuclear weapons, suggesting the country would attract far less international attention without them.
