PIA suspends Kabul flight operations after uncertainty at airport: spokesman

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has suspended its flight operation for Kabul to evacuate stranded Pakistanis and foreigners after mismanagement at the Afghan capital’s airport, ARY NEWS reported.

According to a PIA spokesman, uncertainty at the Kabul airport has forced them to suspend their flight operations for the Afghan capital for an unidentified period.

“Lack of security, absence of aviation staffers and crowd at the Kabul airport has led to the suspension of the PIA flights in order to secure passengers, staffers and national flag carrier’s assets,” the spokesman said adding that the decision was taken after consultation with the foreign ministry and Afghanistan’s aviation authority.

#PIA is in continous contact with @PakinAfg on developments in #Kabul. With the support of @foreignofficepk we r mounting extra flts to support the efforts, will be sending in 3 more flts on Monday. PIA KBL office is operational & serving customers in #Afghanistan

— PIA (@Official_PIA) August 15, 2021

On Sunday, the Kabul administration had allowed Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to operate special flights to the Afghan capital to evacuate its citizens as uncertainty prevailing in Kabul.

The authorities in Kabul had asked PIA to send Boeing 777 aircraft to the Afghan capital in order to repatriate more citizens in a limited time.

Two PIA flights were operated from Kabul yesterday after initially being stranded owing to US military helicopters laying siege to the Kabul airport and closing it ahead of the landing of four US C-130 aircraft.

The planes were however later allowed to fly, bringing top Afghan leaders besides the stranded Pakistanis to the country.