ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s national air career said on Friday it would operate special flights to the Gulf region to bring back stranded Pakistanis who could not return to their country after the cancellation of flights by certain international airlines.
According to an official handout circulated by Pakistan International Airlines, the decision was taken on the instruction of the country’s aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan who asked PIA officials to repatriate Pakistani nationals before the upcoming Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha.
The statement specifically mentioned flight arrangements to Qatar and Bahrain, saying the airlines would use Boeing 777 instead of Airbus aircrafts since the former could accommodate greater number of passengers.
PIA's top official Arshad Malik said the country would arrange as many special flights as required to bring back Pakistani nationals.
“The nation will always see PIA ahead of everyone while fulfilling its obligations toward the country,” he said. “Unlike international airlines, we cannot leave our fellow nationals helpless in a foreign land.”
The country’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) also took serious notice of the decision taken by several Middle Eastern airlines to cancel their flights in recent weeks, “causing inconvenience to passengers” who wanted to come to Pakistan.
“It has been noticed with great concern that huge numbers of passengers were issued confirmed tickets that have been affected by flight cancellations causing unrest and inconvenience,” the CAA said in a statement. “It is worth stressing that such reservations should have been made after confirmation of lifting of [COVID-19] restrictions only.”
The statement added that “a substantial number of the affected passengers have been facing great nuisance and financial losses” due to these flight cancellations.
The CAA said it had directed relevant international airlines to provide hotel accommodation to passengers with confirmed bookings to compensate them for their financial losses.
PIA to repatriate stranded Pakistanis by operating special flights to Gulf countries
https://arab.news/j4eu4
PIA to repatriate stranded Pakistanis by operating special flights to Gulf countries
- The decision has been taken after some international airlines cancelled their flights, causing significant trouble to travelers
- Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority has asked all relevant airlines to provide hotel accommodation to passengers with confirmed bookings
Pakistan to sell excess gas in international markets from Jan.1— petroleum minister
- Pakistan was reportedly exploring ways to reduce $378 million in annual losses from supply glut caused by excess fuel imports
- Move to sell excess LNG in international markets will limit $3.56 billion losses caused since 2018-19, says petroleum minister
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will sell its excess liquefied natural gas (LNG) in international markets from Jan. 1, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said, revealing the move would limit losses caused from a years-long supply glut.
Local and international media outlets had reported in July that Pakistan was exploring ways to sell excess LNG cargoes amid a gas supply glut that government officials said was costing domestic producers $378 million in annual losses. News reports had said Pakistan had at least three LNG cargoes in excess that it imported from Qatar and has no immediate use for.
Speaking to reporters during a press conference on Sunday, Malik said there was an excess of imported gas in Pakistan as the use of this fuel for power generation had reduced in the country during the past few months. He said Islamabad had been forced to sell the gas to local consumers, due to which the circular debt in the gas sector from 2018 till now had ballooned to around Rs1,000 billion [$3.56 billion].
“From Jan. 1 we will sell this excess fuel in international markets to reduce our burden and limit our losses of this Rs1,000 billion [$3.56 billion],” Malik said.
He said this move would also allow Pakistan’s state-owned enterprises in the sector to operate on their full capacity and generate profits and employment.
Malik also spoke of foreign oil companies that were ready to invest millions in the country in the near future.
The minister cited the recent visit of Turkish energy minister to Pakistan which had resulted in the state-owned Turkish Petroleum signing deals to carry out onshore and offshore drilling activities in Pakistan.
“Turkish Petroleum will also open its office in Islamabad, where 10 to 15 Turkish nationals will be working,” Malik said.
He also said that a delegation of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) visit Pakistan this week, adding that it was also expected to collaborate with local companies for oil and gas exploration.
The minister said SOCAR was also opening its office in Pakistan.
“It will also invest millions of dollars in the construction of an oil pipeline from Machike to Thalian in collaboration with the PSO (Pakistan State Oil) and FWO (Frontier Works Organization),” Malik said.
