Pakistan International Airlines to resume flights from Islamabad to Kabul this week

Islamabad: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will resume flights from Islamabad to Kabul this week, a Spokesman told news agencies yesterday, becoming the first foreign commercial service since the Taliban seized power last month.

Kabul airport was severely damaged during a chaotic evacuation of over 1,20,000 people that ended with the withdrawal of US forces on 30th of August. The Taliban have been scrambling to get it operating again with Qatari technical assistance.

PIA Spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khan told media that they have



got all technical clearances for flight operations. The first commercial plane is scheduled to fly from Islamabad to Kabul on 13th of September. He said, the service would depend on demand. As of now, the PIA have received 73 requests from humanitarian relief agencies and journalists, he said.

In the last two days, Qatar Airways has operated two charter flights out of Kabul, carrying mostly foreigners and Afghans who missed being taken out during the evacuation. An Afghan airline resumed domestic flights last week.