ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Monday brought back 165 Pakistani nationals, who were stranded in Syria after last week's Israeli airstrikes, through a special flight from Aleppo, a PIA spokesperson said.
The PIA made the required arrangements after the South Asian country received a request from its ambassador to Syria, seeking the evacuation of Pakistani nationals.
Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes against Syria since 2011, though rarely have such attacks caused major flight disruptions. Pakistan’s national flag carrier last week announced it was suspending all flights to Damascus following the attacks.
"A PIA flight en route from the Syrian city of Aleppo has landed in Karachi," a PIA spokesperson said late Monday. "The flight bringing 165 passengers landed at the Karachi airport at 11pm."
According to the foreign office of Pakistan, nearly 300 Pakistani citizens were stranded in Syria after the Israeli airstrikes.
A picture taken on February 19, 2020, shows the arrivals gate at Aleppo airport in the eponymous northern Syrian city. (AFP/FILE)
It said on Sunday around 160 pilgrims were scheduled to travel to Pakistan from the Aleppo airport through a PIA flight. “Remaining 140 Zaireens [pilgrims] will be traveling to Iraq for Pakistan,” the foreign office added.
Hundreds of Pakistanis visit Syria for pilgrimage every year. In May, the PIA started direct flights from Pakistan’s Karachi city to the Syrian capital of Damascus to facilitate the pilgrims.
