Several Gulf countries: PIA suspends flight operations
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has temporarily suspended its scheduled flight operations to several Gulf destinations, including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Dubai.
According to the national flag carrier, the suspension is a precautionary step taken in light of recent military escalations in the Middle East, which have raised concerns over the safety of civilian air traffic.
'The security and well-being of our passengers remain our foremost priority,' said a spokesperson for PIA. 'We are closely monitoring the situation and will restore operations as soon as the security landscape allows.'
The move has disrupted travel plans for hundreds of passengers. However, PIA's reservations team has already begun the process of accommodating affected travellers on future flights, subject to operational clearance. The airline has advised passengers to confirm their flight status through its helpline before departing for airports.
This decision follows a wave of regional instability triggered by the Iran-Israel confrontation, which has seen missile exchanges, airspace restrictions, and retaliatory threats across the Gulf. Aviation authorities across the region have heightened alerts, prompting several international carriers to reroute or suspend services.
In parallel to the flight suspension, PIA has launched emergency repatriation efforts to bring back Pakistanis stranded in neighbouring countries due to disrupted transit routes. In a coordinated operation with the Pakistani embassy, the airline facilitated the movement of over 150 nationals from Iran's Mashhad to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
Earlier, a special PIA aircraft was dispatched from Peshawar to Ashgabat on Tuesday evening to retrieve the stranded citizens. These individuals had been unable to travel due to the temporary closure of Iranian airspace and lack of commercial connectivity.
PIA has confirmed that additional chartered flights will be organized in the coming days to ensure the safe return of remaining citizens still awaiting evacuation. The initiative follows directives from the federal government to provide all necessary support to overseas Pakistanis during the crisis.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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