PIA special flight carrying 120 stranded Pakistanis leaves Dhaka

DHAKA: A special Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight carrying 120 stranded Pakistanis has left the Shah Jalal International Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The flight will bring back 120 Pakistanis including 66 students who were stranded in Bangladesh after international air travel was suspended to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Pakistan’s High Commissioner in Dhaka Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, was present at Shah Jalal Airport to oversee arrangements for the flight and to bid farewell to passengers.

Speaking on the occasion, the ambassador underscored the importance the Government of Pakistan attached to the repatriation of stranded Pakistanis from all over the world.

The flight is part of Pakistan’s special repatriation operation to bring back thousands of its citizens stranded across the globe through PIA and other airlines.

Earlier in the day, a chartered flight carrying 150 stranded Pakistani students has left the US from Washington for Pakistan.

The chartered flight was provided by the United States government.

Read more: PIA allowed to operate direct flights to US for the first time

Pakistan’s ambassador for the United States Asad Amjad and officials of US Department of State bid farewell to the students.

It may be noted that, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was allowed to operate direct flights to the United States (US) to airlift its stranded citizens.