KARACHI: For the first time in the country’s history, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been allowed to operate direct flights to the United States (US), ARY News reported on Thursday.
Last week, the Chief Operating Officer (CEO) of the PIA Air Marshal Arshad Malik wrote a letter to the US ambassador and the State Department seeking permission to operate PIA special flights to repatriate Pakistanis stranded in the US.
The permission was granted by the US Transport Department on Pakistan’s request to repatriate its stranded citizens in the United States of America.
According to the permission granted by the US, the PIA can operate as many as 12 flights in a month to bring back the stranded Pakistanis.
Read more: Pakistan asks US to allow flights to repatriate stranded countrymen
The PIA spokesperson said that the permission was granted to Pakistan by the US after improvement in the security situation.
CEO PIA Air Marshal Arshad Malik thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Ministry and Aviation Ministry for taking the issue with the US.
The national flag carrier is continuing its operations to bring back stranded Pakistani expats across the globe and so far 11,700 have been airlifted from the various countries.
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