ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight landed in Pakistan on Monday, bringing home 155 citizens stranded in Doha due to a wave of coronavirus-related flight cancelations in recent weeks.
On Saturday, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced Pakistan would fly special flights to bring home over 6,100 citizens stranded in Gulf countries. Thousands of Pakistanis have been unable to return home in recent weeks due to flight cancelations by Middle Eastern operators following recent travel bans in their countries.
“PIA’s relief operation to bring Pakistanis who got stranded because of cancelation of flights of other airlines is underway, and our first flight arrived this morning [on Monday] with 155 passengers from Doha,” PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan told Arab News on Monday.
“We have allocated eight special flights for Qatar, two for Bahrain and added 2,000 additional seats from the UAE to Pakistan,” he explained, adding “PIA is ready to add more flights” if need be.
“We have more flights from Middle East countries tomorrow,” Khan said.
“PIA flights were upgraded from Airbus to 777 (as per existing schedule) to take approximately 6132 passengers from Dubai, Shariah, Doha and Bahrain on 18 PIA flights,” the CAA said in a statement on Saturday, adding that ten flights would depart from the UAE, bringing home 3,394 passengers between July 5 and July 16.
Another 2,016 Pakistanis would be brought home from Qatar from July 6 to July 18, and 722 from Bahrain between July 9 and July 11.
PIA will use Boeing 777 aircraft from its fleet as the wide-body airliner can accommodate more passengers than regular Airbus planes operated on these routes.
PIA flies home 155 Pakistanis stranded in Doha due to flight cancelations
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PIA flies home 155 Pakistanis stranded in Doha due to flight cancelations
- Aviation Authority has announced special flights to repatriate over 6,100 citizens stranded in Gulf countries
- Thousands have been unable to return to home in recent weeks due to coronavirus-related flight cancelations by Middle Eastern operators
Pakistan U19 to open tri-series against Afghanistan on Saturday in Zimbabwe
- Pakistan enter the tournament as U19 Asia Cup champions after beating India by 191 runs in Dubai
- The tri-series is seen as key preparation for next month’s U19 World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s under-19 cricket team will begin their tri-series campaign against Afghanistan on Saturday in Harare, using the tournament as a key preparation for next month’s ICC Men’s U19 World Cup co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Pakistan, the reigning ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup champions, are competing in the 50-over tri-series alongside Afghanistan and hosts Zimbabwe, with each team playing the others twice before the top two advance to the final on Jan. 6.
Pakistan won the eight-team Asia Cup in Dubai earlier this month, beating India by 191 runs in the final, and will play a minimum of four matches in the tri-series, starting at Harare Sports Club on Saturday.
“The Asia Cup was a good win for us and the players showed great morale and intensity,” Pakistan captain Farhan Yousaf said, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). “The tri-series is very important for the players and will help us find the right combinations ahead of the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup.”
Pakistan will face Zimbabwe on Dec. 29 before meeting Afghanistan again on Jan. 2, followed by a second match against the hosts on Jan. 4. Matches will be played across venues in Harare, including Harare Sports Club, Prince Edward School and Sunrise Sports Club.
The tri-series is being seen as an important warm-up ahead of the U19 World Cup, which will be held from Jan. 15 to Feb. 6. Pakistan are placed in Group C and will play all their group-stage matches in Harare.
“The conditions here are similar and will be beneficial for our World Cup preparations,” Yousaf said. “Both teams in the tournament are strong and competitive and we respect every opposition as we look forward to a competitive event.”
Pakistan will open their World Cup campaign against England on Jan. 16, followed by matches against Scotland and Zimbabwe, with the Super Six stage beginning on Jan. 25 and the final scheduled for Feb. 6 at Harare Sports Club.
