RAWALPINDI: The government has granted authorisation to all foreign and domestic airlines to operate flights to and from Pakistan in line with the pre-Covid-19 summer schedule.

The spokesman for the Aviation Division, senior joint secretary Abdul Sattar Khokhar, said on Friday that the government was pleased to allow all types of international and domestic flight operations to and from all airports across Pakistan as per authorisation granted to all foreign and domestic operators pre-Covid-I9 summer schedule 2020, including cargo and special flight operations, with effect from Aug 9 at 11.59pm.

However, he said these operations had to be conducted in accordance with the established guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued from time to time.

Mr Khokhar said all operators would be required to implement the established guidelines and SOPs.

Pakistan had suspended all international flight operations on March 21 and domestic flight operations on March 26 due to the spread of coronavirus globally.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan International Airline (PIA) is likely to start flight operations to Iraq during Ashura and Arba’een to facilitate the passengers and pilgrims to the holy sites.

A spokesman for the PIA said Chief Executive Officer Arshad Malik met Iraqi Ambassador Hamid Abbas Lafta in Islamabad on Friday.

He said the meeting was held in a congenial environment and matters pertaining to the possibility of starting PIA’s operations to Iraq during Ashura and Arba’een, the facilitation of PIA passengers and their pilgrimage to the holy sites were discussed.

The ambassador assured the PIA chief executive officer of his full cooperation and support in facilitating passengers and PIA’s flight operations to the destination.

The PIA spokesman said this was a preliminary meeting aimed at developing a consensus and a better understanding of the situation which would be followed by mid-tier tactical meetings in future.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2020