Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has resumed its flight operations to Gulf countries, which were suspended earlier due to rising tensions in the region. The suspension came after Iran launched a missile attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar in response to American airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend.
PIA had temporarily halted flights to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates as a precautionary measure following Iran’s confirmation of the attack on the Al-Udeid air base in Qatar. The airline cited safety concerns amid heightened regional tensions that began on June 13, when Israel targeted Iran’s nuclear and military sites, prompting retaliatory actions from Tehran.
A spokesperson for PIA confirmed the resumption of operations, stating: “PIA flight operations for Gulf and Saudi Arabia have resumed.”
Several flights experienced delays due to the temporary suspension. PK-245 from Islamabad to Dammam departed at 12:30 p.m. after a 15-hour delay, while PK-743 from Karachi to Madinah, which had been diverted on Monday, took off at 1:30 p.m. after a 14.5-hour delay. Similarly, PK-713 from Lahore to Madinah and PK-209 from Sialkot to Sharjah both departed at 1:30 p.m. after significant delays.
Additional flights including PK-221 (Multan to Dubai), PK-251 (Sialkot to Doha), PK-761 (Karachi to Jeddah), and PK-261 (Islamabad to Abu Dhabi) also departed later than scheduled.
The spokesperson acknowledged the delays and extended apologies to passengers, emphasizing that the initial decision to limit operations was made based on aviation safety protocols.
The flight resumptions came shortly after an announcement of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. The conflict had escalated when Iran struck Israeli nuclear facilities, citing concerns over an imminent threat. The U.S. responded with airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, marking one of the most significant military escalations since the 1979 Iranian revolution. However, on Tuesday, a ceasefire agreement was reached, easing tensions in the region.
