Several Gulf airliners resume flights from Pakistan as anti-virus measures ease

An Emirates plane taxis to a gate at Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (AP)
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Updated 10 June 2020
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Several Gulf airliners resume flights from Pakistan as anti-virus measures ease

  • Emirates says it's working closely with Islamabad to facilitate repatriation of Pakistani citizens
  • Earlier Gulf Air and Etihad also resumed transit flights to Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Emirates announced that it has resumed flight operations from Pakistan after temporarily suspending them more than two months ago due to the coronavirus outbreak, a statement released by the Dubai-based airline said on Tuesday.
However, flights leaving Pakistan for Dubai will only carry UAE residents and air freight, while operations from Dubai to Pakistan are currently available for cargo only, the statement added.
The airline further announced to run daily flights from Karachi while capital Islamabad will have the service on Thursdays and Saturdays with Lahore enjoying the route throughout the week with exception to Wednesday and Saturday, according to the official handout.
In addition to resuming scheduled services to Dubai, Emirates said is also working closely with Pakistan government to facilitate select flights for repatriation of Pakistani citizens from the UAE.
Last week the airline operated “two special flights from Dubai to Karachi and Islamabad repatriating Pakistani nationals stranded in the UAE,” airline said.
On May 31 Gulf Air resumed its operations to Pakistan with a direct flight from the Islamabad International Airport to its hub in Bahrain.  Etihad Airways also resumed transit flights to Pakistan this month.
The resumption of international airlines came after Pakistan's aviation sector announced on May 30  that it has reopened its commercial airspace for outbound international flights after temporarily closing it in March.


Pakistan spin out Australia in second T20I to take series

Updated 31 January 2026
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Pakistan spin out Australia in second T20I to take series

  • Salman Agha’s 76 and Usman Khan’s 53 lift Pakistan to 198-5, their highest T20I total against Australia
  • Pakistan’s spinners take all 10 wickets as Australia are bowled out for 108, sealing an unbeatable 2-0 series lead

LAHORE: Skipper Salman Agha hit his highest score in the shortest format before Pakistan’s spinners routed Australia by 90 runs in the second Twenty20 international in Lahore on Saturday.

Agha hit a 40-ball 76 and Usman Khan smashed a 36-ball 53 as Pakistan made 198-5, their highest-ever T20I total against Australia.

This was enough for Pakistan’s spin quintet who shared all ten wickets between them with Abrar Ahmed returning the best figures of 3-14 and Shadab Khan finishing with 3-26.

Australia were routed for 108 in 15.4 overs, giving Pakistan their biggest T20I victory over Australia eclipsing the 66-run win in Abu Dhabi in 2018.

“It has to be a perfect game,” said Agha. “We batted well and then were outstanding with the ball. Fielding was outstanding.”

The victory gives Pakistan an unbeatable 2-0 lead after they won the first match by 22 runs, also in Lahore, on Friday.

“We want to play in the same way, forget the 2-0 scoreline and come again with the same intensity and go to the World Cup with the same energy,” said Agha of the event starting in India and Sri Lanka from February 7.

This is Pakistan’s first T20I series win over Australia since 2018. The final match is on Sunday, also in Lahore.

Despite skipper Mitchell Marsh coming back after resting on Friday, the visiting batters had little answer to Pakistan’s spin assault.

Ahmed dismissed Marsh for 18, Josh Inglis for five and Matthew Short for 27.

Cameroon Green top scored with a 20-ball 35 before spinner Usman Tariq dismissed him on his way to figures of 2-16.

Marsh admitted Pakistan were better.

“Pakistan outplayed us,” said Marsh. “Hopefully, we can improve and come back tomorrow. They put us under great pressure in batting; it was probably a 160-170 wicket so they scored a big total.”

Earlier, Agha and Usman led Pakistan to a fighting total after they won the toss and batted.

Agha built the innings with Saim Ayub (11-ball 23) during a second wicket stand of 55 as Pakistan scored 72 runs in the power-paly.

Agha’s previous highest in all T20 cricket was 68 not out.

After Babar Azam failed with a five-ball two, Usman helped Agha add another quickfire 49 for the fourth wicket before Sean Abbott broke the stand.

Agha smashed four sixes and eight fours in his sixth Twenty20 half century.

Pakistan added a good 61 runs in the last five overs with Usman knocking two sixes and four fours in his second T20I half century while Shadab’s knock had two sixes and a four.

The Usman-Shadab fifth-wicket stand yielded 63 runs off just 39 balls.

Shadab finished with an unbeaten 20-ball 28.

Pacer Xavier Bartlett and spinner Matthew Kuhnemann were expensive, conceding 92 runs between them in their eight overs.