Pakistan restores flights to Gulf region after brief suspension

KARACHI: Aviation sources confirmed on Tuesday that Pakistan has restored its flight operations to the Gulf countries after the reopening of airspace over Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.

The resumption of flights follows temporary suspension of operations by national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) late last night due to escalating tensions in the region.

PIA has now restored its Gulf-bound flights; however, delays ranging from five to thirteen hours are still expected in departures.

According to flight schedules, a total of 32 flights from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and other airports across the country have been cancelled, including 14 Qatar Airways flights.

Airline sources added that 55 flights — both arrivals and departures —have been delayed at airports in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and other cities.

While Saudi Arabia and the UAE did not close their airspace last night, several flights had to be diverted to alternate airports due to the deteriorating situation in the Gulf.

Bahrain and Kuwait resumed operations earlier, followed by Qatar later in the night, paving the way for partial restoration of services.

Among the affected flights:

• Eight outbound flights from Karachi to Jeddah, Doha, and Istanbul were cancelled.
• Two foreign airlines’ flights from Karachi to Dubai were scrapped.
• Five Lahore-bound flights to Sharjah, Muscat, and Riyadh were cancelled.
• Qatar Airways cancelled two flights from Lahore, four from Islamabad, and four from Peshawar and Sialkot.
• Five inbound flights to Peshawar and Abu Dhabi from Sharjah and Dubai were also cancelled.

Severe delays are being reported across multiple routes. PIA flight PK 747 from Lahore to Madinah is delayed by 13 hours, while PK 247 from Lahore to Dammam faces a 6.5-hour delay.

Qatar Airways flight QR 621 from Doha to Karachi and Lahore is delayed by 10 hours. PIA flight PK 233 from Islamabad to Dubai is delayed by a staggering 15 hours.

Two incoming flights from Bahrain to Islamabad have also been delayed by 4 hours, aviation sources added.