ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the nation's flag carrier, resumed flights to Kuwait for the first time in five months on Monday after the Gulf state lifted travel curbs imposed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kuwait had suspended flights and barred entry to travellers from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka in May to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Kuwait Airways, however, had been operating in Pakistan.
“PIA is resuming its [Kuwait] operation with two weekly flights,” the airline said in a statement, adding: “Foreign Ministry, Pakistan’s ambassador to Kuwait and Kuwait’s envoy to Islamabad played role in resuming operations.”
Kuwait began issuing business and family visas to Pakistanis in March after a decade of suspensions for nationals from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan and Afghanistan in 2011 over what it said were "difficult security conditions" in the five countries.
Last month, Kuwait’s health ministry awarded permanent contracts to nearly 140 doctors from Pakistan who were employed in Kuwait temporarily amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
In July 2020, Pakistan and Kuwait also signed an agreement for 600 Pakistani health care professionals to work in Kuwait upon its request.
