By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) resumed flights to Gulf countries on Tuesday following a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, but passengers faced delays of up to 15 hours as the airline worked to restore normal operations.
The announcement came after a brief suspension of air travel prompted by regional tensions, underscoring the fragility of stability in the Middle East.
Flight operations to Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates were halted on Monday night due to what a PIA spokesman described as a “war situation” in the region. The suspension followed Iran’s attack on American forces at Qatar’s Al-Udeid air base, which triggered airspace restrictions across parts of the Gulf. On Tuesday, Qatar issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) reopening its airspace, enabling airlines to resume their routes.
“PIA’s air operations to Gulf countries is moving towards resumption,” a spokesman for the national flag carrier said on Tuesday, signaling the gradual restoration of services. However, the backlog of stranded passengers led to significant delays as flights began departing.
Among the affected routes, PIA flight PK 245 from Islamabad to Dammam took off at 12:30 p.m. with a 15-hour delay. Flight PK 743 from Karachi to Madina, which had been diverted on Monday, departed at 1 p.m. after a 14.5-hour delay. Similarly, flight PK 713 from Lahore to Madina left at 1 p.m. with a seven-hour delay, while flight PK 209 from Sialkot to Sharjah departed at 1 p.m. with a 15-hour delay. Additional flights resuming at 1 p.m. included PK 221 from Multan to Dubai, PK 251 from Sialkot to Doha, PK 761 from Karachi to Jeddah, and PK 261 from Islamabad to Abu Dhabi.
“With the departure of these flights, PIA’s air operations to Gulf countries have been restored,” the spokesman said, though he cautioned that “due to the delayed departure of these flights, returning will also be delayed.” Passengers were urged to contact PIA’s call center or visit its website for the latest flight updates.
The spokesman also issued an apology for the disruptions, emphasising safety as the airline’s priority. “We apologise for the inconvenience caused to passengers; however, the decision to restrict operations last night was taken in accordance with air safety regulations,” he said.
Electricity Restored in Makran
In a separate development, the Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco) announced on Tuesday that electricity supply from Iran to Pakistan’s Makran division had been restored after a two-day outage left the region grappling with darkness and extreme heat. Power was fully restored to all three districts at 1 a.m. on Tuesday via the 132-KV Pishin-Mand and Polan-Jiwani transmission lines, according to Qesco.
The outage began on Sunday at approximately 2:30 p.m., plunging the entire Makran division—including the districts of Gwadar, Kech, and Panjgur—into darkness. Regular supply has now returned to grid stations in Mand, Tump, Turbat, Hoshab, Panjgur, Jiwani, Gwadar Door, Gwadar Deep Sea Port, New Gwadar International Airport, Pasni, and Ormara.
“Power suspension caused difficulties for people in 50C temperature which persisted throughout the last week,” a Qesco spokesman said, underscoring the hardship faced by residents amid soaring temperatures. To mitigate the impact, the company connected affected grid stations to the national grid during the outage, maintaining a limited electricity supply until full restoration was achieved.
The restoration brought relief to a region heavily reliant on consistent power, particularly as infrastructure projects like the Gwadar Deep Sea Port and New Gwadar International Airport continue to develop. Qesco’s efforts reflect the challenges of balancing energy demands with external supply dependencies.
PAA Advances e-Gates Project
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has completed the design phase of its e-Gates project for Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore international airports, following a series of stakeholder workshops. The initiative aims “to introduce biometric-based automated border control at major airports to significantly enhance passenger facilitation, reduce wait times, and improve security,” a PAA spokesman said.
German consultancy M2P Consulting will now develop technical specifications and tender documents, paving the way for proposals from global e-Gate providers. The project aligns with PAA’s broader vision “to integrate smart technologies into airport operations, ensuring seamless and secure travel experiences,” the spokesman added.
The e-Gates initiative represents a step toward modernizing Pakistan’s aviation infrastructure, offering a potential counterpoint to the disruptions experienced in the Gulf flight operations.
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