PIA suspends flights to Gulf states amid rising regional tensions

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced a temporary suspension of flights to several Gulf countries as a precautionary measure in light of the escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf region, ARY News reported.

According to a statement issued by the airline’s spokesperson, flights from Pakistan to Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Dubai have been cancelled. The decision was made due to the growing risk posed by the ongoing conflict-like situation in parts of the Gulf.

“The safety of our passengers remains our top priority,” the PIA spokesperson said. “We deeply regret the inconvenience caused by the flight cancellations, but these steps are necessary under the current circumstances.”

PIA assured that flights will resume once the regional situation returns to normal.

Passengers who had booked travel on the affected routes are advised to stay updated through the PIA call centre for the latest information about their flights.

The PIA reservations department has begun rebooking affected passengers on alternative available flights.

“We apologise for the disruption and inconvenience this may cause,” the statement read, “but the safety and security of our travellers come before all else.”

PIA has urged all travellers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.

Earlier, The national air carrier of Pakistan started a special operation to bring back Pakistanis stranded in Iran amid Israel-Iran conflict.

A PIA aircraft departed from Peshawar to Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, on Tuesday evening to facilitate the evacuation.

With the assistance of the Pakistani embassy, 150 Pakistanis were transported from the Iranian city of Mashhad to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

These individuals, who were stuck due to the closure of Iranian airspace, will be flown back to their homeland via a special PIA flight from Ashgabat.

Following government directives, PIA has announced that additional special flights will be arranged to ensure the safe return of more stranded citizens.