ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been granted permission to operate 88 special flights to Saudi Arabia during October to facilitate thousands of Pakistanis stranded here due to suspension of international flight operations.

A schedule has been chalked out in this regard for the operation of 27 special flights between Oct 1 and Oct 10, 2020.

Spokesman for PIA Abdullah Hafeez said that the airline had sought permission from Saudi Arabia to operate 118 special flights during October. “The PIA has been granted permission to operate 88 flights to Saudi Arabia during October, 2020,” he said.

He said a large number of Saudi iqama holders from Pakistan, who had been stranded in the country due to suspension of international flight operations were taken back to the kingdom after it decided to partially lift the ban on international flights; earlier, Saudi authorities had granted permission to PIA to operate special flights to facilitate iqama holders.

The airline operated 93 flights until Wednesday and was able to transport 28,000 passengers during the first phase which was 50pc of the demand and will be able to facilitate more than 47,000 passengers if permission to operate more flights in October is granted, he added.

Meanwhile, efforts by the government and PIA’s CEO are underway to get extension in the validity of iqama, however a decision in this regard has not been taken.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2020