QUETTA: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is starting flights on Feb 25 for pilgrims from Quetta to Mashhad.

PIA’s General Manager in Balochistan Abdul Baqi Baloch said on Friday that initially two flights would fly every week which would start from Lahore and go to Mashhad via Quetta.

He said PIA was resuming its operation for Mashhad after 10 years.

After a recent attack in Balochistan on a pilgrims’ bus returning from Iran, Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch had urged the federal government to start flights for pilgrims from Quetta.

Scores of pilgrims have lost their lives in attacks on convoys returning from Iran.

Mr Baqi said 118 passengers could undertake the journey through these flights on every Saturday and Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the PIA officials met Iranian Consul General Syed Hasan Yehyavi and informed him about the launch of flights for Mashhad.

Mr Yehyavi thanked the government of Pakistan and PIA for its plans and assured all out support of his government in this regard.