ISLAMABAD: A special Pakistan International Airlines flight with 250 passengers on board departed Jeddah for Pakistan's southern Karachi city on Saturday afternoon, the Pakistan consulate in Jeddah said in a press statement.
"PIA special flight PK 8732 carrying 250 passengers departed Jeddah for Karachi today at 1500 hours. It was the first special PIA flight to Karachi from Jeddah after the suspension of international flights due to COVID-19," the statement said on Saturday.
International flights to and from Pakistan were suspended in March, when coronavirus cases first began surging in the country. Since then, thousands of stranded Pakistanis have been repatriated back home via special flight operations.
The press statement said Consul General Khalid Majid and Deputy Consul General Shaiq Ahmad Bhutto saw the passengers off at Jeddah International Airport, and added the passengers were grateful to Pakistani authorities for arranging the flight home via the national carrier.
So far, around 1000 Pakistanis have been repatriated from Saudi Arabia through four special PIA flights, the statement quoted the Consul General as saying. There are also more flights expected in the weeks to come.
Earlier this week, Pakistani authorities announced the easing of a nationwide lockdown that had been in place for almost two months.
Pakistan on Friday extended the suspension of international flight operations until the end of May, but allowed a partial resumption of domestic flights beginning Saturday.
Hundreds of stranded Pakistanis homebound from Jeddah
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Hundreds of stranded Pakistanis homebound from Jeddah
- Around 1000 Pakistanis have so far been repatriated from Saudi Arabia through four special flights
- Pakistan on Friday extended suspension of international flight operations until end of May
