According to official sources, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has started a special aircraft operation to return more than 150 Pakistanis who were left stranded in Iran following the shutdown of Iranian airspace.
The stranded Pakistanis were flown from Iran’s Mashhad city to Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, by a special PIA Airbus A320 plane that took off from Peshawar.
Due to regional flight difficulties, the Pakistani nationals, including Tehran residents and relatives of embassy staff stationed in Iran, had been stranded for a number of days. The Pakistani embassy in Tehran reportedly worked with local authorities to assist their transfer from Iran to Turkmenistan.
A senior official, who was not authorized to speak to the media, stated on condition of anonymity that “the flight carrying the repatriated Pakistanis will land in Islamabad late tonight.”
The airlift coincides with growing anxiety among residents who are stuck in a travel limbo as a result of regional tensions that temporarily suspended civilian aviation flights over Iranian territory.
To guarantee the safe return of impacted citizens, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs worked closely with Pakistan’s mission in Iran to develop a backup plan. Transport from Mashhad to Ashgabat was arranged in large part by the embassy.
On orders from the federal government, officials stated that PIA will continue its special flight operations. They added that additional flights are anticipated based on the scenario as it develops.
This most recent operation highlights the logistical difficulties encountered when conventional aviation routes become inoperable, as well as Islamabad’s efforts to keep its diaspora connected during regional crises.
