The cancellations affected several destinations, including Doha, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Dubai, Muscat and Abu Dhabi.
KARACHI/LAHORE:
Flight operations between Pakistan and the Middle East faced major disruptions on Tuesday with at least 64 flights canceled from the country’s major international airports due to the developing situation in the region.
According to airline sources, the cancellations affected several destinations, including Doha, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Dubai, Muscat and Abu Dhabi.
Karachi airport saw 20 flights cancelled, Islamabad 10, Lahore 16, Peshawar 10 and Sialkot eight. However, flight operations to the Middle East from Multan and Faisalabad remained normal.
Officials said flight cancellations between Pakistan and the Middle East reached 1,687 in the past 18 days.
Meanwhile, airport sources reported that the total number of canceled international flights from eight major airports, including Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore, stood at 101 on Tuesday alone.
In total, around 2,000 flights to and from Pakistan – covering the Middle East as well as other destinations – have been canceled over the past 18 days. In some cases, flights were forced to turn around mid-air or were unable to take off due to rapidly changing conditions.
Sources said escalating tensions between Iran and the United States had thrown the entire regional air traffic system into disarray, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.
Special flights launched from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to help stranded passengers were also suspended again as the situation deteriorated.
On Tuesday, 101 departing international flights were canceled from eight major airports, including Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Faisalabad, Multan and Sialkot.
Despite the cancellations, around 50 special flights from Middle Eastern countries landed at airports including Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi to help repatriate stranded passengers.
