Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari notified the withdrawal on Twitter late Sunday night with an image of the revised notification.
“The incorrect notification withdrawn — as I had said this morning it was never a federal govt decision. Will ask to have an inquiry as to how and who in CAA put out such a notification. All bureaucracy should know that Federal Govt means Cabinet! This issue never discussed!” she wrote. Earlier on Sunday, Shahrukh Nusrat, director general of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), had said that wrapping baggage was now “mandatory”, and it was being done for “safety” purposes. Passengers would have to pay Rs50 per bag for the wrapping, Nusrat had said in a statement. “For this purpose, new plastic-wrapping machines are being installed on an urgent basis,” he had added. Ironically, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Jahangir Tareen was among the travellers who took to Twitter to express their distaste for the measure. “Just came across a very illogical notification issued by the CAA. Forcing passengers to wrap their luggage is not on. People should have the right to decide whether they want their luggage wrapped or not. The notification should be withdrawn asap,” he had tweeted.