PIA repatriates more Pakistanis stranded in Iran as regional tensions ground flights
ISLAMABAD: A special PIA flight carrying 107 Pakistanis who had
been stranded in Iran landed in Islamabad early Wednesday, the
national carrier said, after regional airspace disruptions forced
days-long travel delays and overland detours.
Flight PK-9552, arranged under government instructions, departed
from the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat and arrived at Islamabad
International Airport at 3am, PIA said in a statement.
The passengers had crossed into Turkmenistan by road after being
unable to depart directly from Iran due to ongoing airspace
restrictions following the start of a war between longtime Middle
Eastern enemies Israel and Iran, since Friday. The two rivals
launched new missile strikes at each other on Wednesday as the air
war between them entered a sixth day despite a call from US
President Donald Trump for Tehran’s unconditional surrender.
“Due to the closure of Iranian airspace, Pakistani nationals in Iran
had to reach Turkmenistan through ground routes,” PIA said, adding
that the repatriation was coordinated by Pakistan’s embassies in
Tehran and Ashgabat.
“Our missions in Iran and Turkmenistan played a key role in
facilitating this process,” PIA added.
Passengers stranded in Iran were mostly short-term visitors,
religious pilgrims and workers caught in the fallout of recent
regional hostilities.
Iranian airspace was shut to commercial traffic last week amid
rising military tensions, following Israeli airstrikes on Iran and
heightened fears of a wider conflict. Several international carriers,
including PIA, suspended or rerouted flights passing through Iranian
airspace. Pakistani citizens thus found themselves unable to return
home through normal flight routes.
A PIA spokesperson said the national carrier took action “in
continuation of its decades-long tradition of serving national
interest in difficult times.”
Pakistan also repatriated 268 nationals from Iraq via two flights on
Monday and 450 nationals from Iran on Sunday.
Pakistan has condemned Israel’s strikes, calling them an unjustified
violation of Iranian sovereignty, and has urged the international
community to help de-escalate tensions through dialogue.
While no official figures have been released on how many Pakistanis
remain in Iran, foreign ministry officials have confirmed that further
evacuations would be arranged if the situation worsens. The foreign
ministry has also said diplomatic missions were “in close contact
with local authorities” to ensure the safety of all nationals.
Separately, a senior foreign office official said on Monday Pakistan
had started evacuating families of its diplomats and staff as well as
members of some non-essential staff from Iran.
“The foreign ministry is moving out families of diplomats and staff
and some non-essential staff from Iran,” a foreign office official said
in a statement.
“However Pakistan embassy in Tehran and our consulates will
continue to remain functional.”–NNI
