ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has given a green signal to resume international flight operations, after closing its airspace to commercial flights since March to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, ARY News reported on Tuesday, citing sources.
The decision was taken in a federal cabinet meeting, chaired by PM Imran Khan here in Islamabad.
Sources said that it was decided in the meeting to restore international flight operations in phases. In first phase, the international flights will be resumed for the Gulf region.
In this connection, the prime minister has directed concerned authorities to prepare an action plan for the resumption of international flights.
The unemployed workers and laborers will be repatriated first, according to sources.
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On the occasion, the premier said that the government understand the problems being faced by overseas Pakistanis due to Covid-19 pandemic and will not leave them alone in these difficult times.
He said the PTI government was ready to provide every possible support to stranded nationals.
Earlier, Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan told National Assembly that PIA had brought back 56,846 stranded Pakistanis through 285 flights from more than 60 countries over the past more than four months.
It is pertinent to mention here that the domestic flight operations resumed after two months in the country to facilitate passengers before Eid on May 16.
