PIA increases Kabul flights to evacuate stranded Pakistanis, foreigners

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Sunday announced an increase in the number of its flights to Kabul to evacuate more Pakistanis and foreigners stranded in the Afghan capital following the deteriorating situation in the backdrop of the Taliban’s takeover, ARY News reported.

According to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Arshad Malik, the national flag carrier will operate three more flights to Kabul on August 23.

The national carrier will use A-320 and two Boeing 777 aircraft to Afghanistan’s capital to bring stranded nationals and foreigners in tomorrow’s flight operation.

The first PIA flight will leave for Kabul at 8:00 am.

The three flights will bring back 600 passengers to Islamabad from the Afghan capital Kabul, said PIA CEO.

Read: EUROPEAN UNION SEEKS PIA HELP IN KABUL EVACUATION

Earlier on Saturday, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had suspended its flight operations for Kabul temporarily after the country’s Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that they had so far evacuated around 2000 people.

The national flag carrier was planning for more flights for the Afghan capital in order to evacuate Pakistanis and foreign travelers.

“As soon as the permission is received, a special flight will depart for Kabul to airlift passengers stranded in the Afghan capital,” they said.