ISLAMABAD, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- A flight of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was delayed after a pilot informed the control tower about possible danger shortly before taking off from the airport in the country's southern port city of Karachi on Friday, the airport officials said.

On pilot's "tip-off", officials from Airport Security Force, Civil Aviation Authority and firefighters rushed to the plane, which was about to take off for southwest port city of Gwadar.

A group of rescue and security teams started a search operation inside the cockpit, while others stood alert outside the plane to control any untoward situation. A cat hidden inside the cockpit was found later in the operation.

The officials drove away the cat from the cockpit, after which the plane was allowed to take off.

The airlines spokesperson Mashood Tajwar said that investigations are being made as how did the animal sneaked into the plane.