KP govt restores special flights to facilitate overseas Pakistanis: CM

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has announced to restore special flights in order to facilitate stranded Pakistanis in Gulf states, ARY News reported on Monday.

KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in a message to overseas Pakistanis admitted that the nationals were facing severe difficulties in foreign countries due to the suspension of flight operations following COVID-19 pandemic.

He said that the provincial government is making all-out efforts to bring back overseas Pakistanis. CM Khan added that a special flight will be operated to Saudi Arabia to carry bodies of martyred nationals.

The chief minister announced that one more flight will be operated to Saudi Arabia a few days later. The issue of expensive tickets for the nationals residing in Gulf states will also be resolved soon, he added.

Mahmood Khan said that Peshawar airport has been reopened for special flight operation to Saudi Arabia, whereas, the number of flights will also be increased.

Earlier on May 29, it emerged that the federal government is likely to allow international flight operations soon.

Sources had claimed that 29 international airlines are soon to receive a green light to resume their international flight operations. It was revealed that Pakistan will resume its international flights partially if such a move was made by other countries.

Sources further claimed that 25 international airlines are ready to operate flights among the 29 who are tipped to get formal approval from their respective countries and others.

Preliminary information on the matter had also revealed that an international flight per day might get the allowance to land.

If the action is allowed, international flights will also be able to take one flight of passengers per day from Pakistan.