PIA Restores Flight Operations to Gulf Nations After Ceasefire Reports

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has recommenced its regular flight schedule to various destinations in the Gulf region. This decision follows reports indicating a ceasefire agreement between Iran and Israel.

“As of 12:30 PST/07:30 UTC, PIA flight operations to Gulf and KSA countries have been restored,” the airline announced via a statement on X, the social media platform, on Tuesday.

This announcement was made after reports that US President Donald Trump stated that Iran and Israel had consented to a ceasefire. This led to a significant drop in oil prices as worries regarding potential supply chain interruptions diminished.

“THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

Earlier on Monday, the national carrier had temporarily halted its flights to Gulf nations, including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE. This was a precautionary measure due to escalating military tensions in the Middle East, raising concerns about the safety of civilian air travel.

“The safety and security of our passengers is still our top priority,” a PIA spokesperson stated previously. “We are carefully assessing the situation and will resume operations when the security situation allows.”

This suspension resulted in disruptions to the travel itineraries of numerous passengers.

The action was prompted by regional instability stemming from the Iran-Israel conflict, characterized by missile exchanges, airspace limitations, and retaliatory threats throughout the Gulf. Aviation authorities in the area had increased their alert levels, leading several international airlines to reroute flights or cease operations entirely.

Previously, on Tuesday evening, a dedicated PIA flight departed from Peshawar en route to Ashgabat to repatriate citizens who were stranded. These citizens were unable to travel earlier due to the temporary closure of Iranian airspace coupled with the absence of commercial flight options.