RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Inter­national Airlines (PIA) announced on Tuesday it has resumed flights to Gulf countries following a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, though passengers face several hours of delays.

Flight operations in the Gulf were affected on Monday due to the regional “war situation,” a spokesman for PIA said.

PIA had suspended flights to Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates on Monday night after Iran attacked American forces at Qatar’s Al-Udeid air base.

However, Qatar reopened its airspace on Tuesday, issuing a NOTAM, enabling flights to resume.

“PIA’s air operations to Gulf countries is moving towards resumption,” a spokesman for the national flag carrier said on Tuesday.

After operations resumed, PIA flight PK 245 from Islamabad to Dammam departed at 12:30pm with a 15-hour delay.

Flight PK 743 from Karachi to Madina, diverted on Monday, departed at 1pm with a 14.5-hour delay.

PIA flight PK 713 from Lahore to Madina also departed at 1pm with a seven-hour delay and flight PK 209 from Sialkot to Sharjah departed at 1pm with a 15-hour delay.

Additionally, flights from Multan to Dubai PK 221, Sialkot to Doha PK 251, Karachi to Jeddah PK 761 and Islamabad to Abu Dhabi PK 261 departed for their destinations at 1pm.

“With the departure of these flights, PIA’s air operations to Gulf countries have been restored,” the spokesman said.

However, he noted: “Due to the delayed departure of these flights, returning will also be delayed.”

Passengers are requested to contact PIA’s call centre or website for timely flight information.

“We apologise for the inconvenience caused to passengers; however, the decision to restrict operations last night was taken in accordance with air safety regulations,” the spokesman added.

PAA e-Gates project

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has concluded the design phase of its e-Gates project for Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore international airports after a series of stakeholder workshops.

A PAA spokesman said the initiative aims “to introduce biometric-based automated border control at major airports to significantly enh­ance passenger facilitation, reduce wait times, and improve security”.

German consultancy M2P Consulting will now develop technical specifications and tender documents to invite proposals from global e-Gate providers.

The project reflects PAA’s vision “to integrate smart technologies into airport operations, ensuring seamless and secure travel experiences,” the spokesman said.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2025