Pak International Airlines suspends flight operations to Gulf countries

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Saturday suspended its flight operations to Gulf countries with immediate effect in the wake of tensions in the region after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran.

“Due to the evolving situation in the Middle East, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has suspended its flight operations to Gulf countries. PIA flights to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait have been suspended,” a PIA spokesperson said in a statement. He said the PIA flights to Saudi Arabia will continue, however, their routes have been changed.

Flights have been shifted to Boeing 777 aircraft and will reach their destinations via longer routes. The US and Israel on Saturday launched a “pre-emptive” joint strike against Iranian targets, with President Donald Trump announcing the start of “major combat operations”.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran confirmed it has launched a “first wave” of missile and drone attacks against Israel and assets of the US in the Gulf in response to the strikes on its territory.