RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will operate special flights to repatriate thousands of Pakistanis stranded in Gulf countries due to a last-minute cancellation of flights by private airlines.

PIA’s spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khan said that following the instructions by Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan and PIA Chief Executive Officer (ECO) Air Marshal Arshad Malik, special planes would be dispatched to the Gulf countries to repatriate the stranded Pakistanis before Eidul Azha.

“Thousands of Pakistanis have been stranded in the Gulf states as a result of last-minute cancellation of flights by private airlines,” he added.

The spokesman said four flights of Boeing 777 had been planned to bring back the stranded Pakistanis from Qatar, while two more flights were scheduled for the next one or two days.

He said it was also decided to use Boeing 777 as an alternative flight to Airbus for Bahrain. “Boeing 777 aircraft has three times more capacity than Airbus plane,” he added.

The PIA CEO has been closely monitoring the demand of Pakistanis in the Gulf countries. He said in a press release that the number of flights required would be adjusted according to the demand of the passengers.

Arshad Malik said the nation would always find PIA at the forefront of national duties. “Unlike foreign airlines, we can’t leave our compatriots helpless abroad,” he added.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2021