FlyDubai to launch flights to Pakistan’s Islamabad, Lahore cities from July 1

A Fly Dubai Boeing 737 Max taxis at Dubai International Airport in Dubai, on November 22, 2023. (AFP/File)
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Updated 25 June 2024
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FlyDubai to launch flights to Pakistan’s Islamabad, Lahore cities from July 1

  • FlyDubai first started operating flights to Pakistan in 2010 with the launch of flights to Karachi 
  • Return Business class fares from Dubai to Islamabad start from $1497, Economy class fares from $353

ISLAMABAD: Dubai-based carrier flydubai this week announced it would launch flights to Pakistan’s capital Islamabad and its eastern city Lahore starting from July 1, saying the move would offer passengers from the UAE and the region “more convenient options” for travel. 

In a press release on Monday, flydubai said flights to the Islamabad International Airport (ISB) and Allama Iqbal International Airport (LHE) will operate daily from Terminal 2 at the Dubai International (DXB). 

Flydubai first started operating flights to Pakistan in 2010 with the launch of flights to the southern port city of Karachi. In addition to Islamabad and Lahore, the carrier also serves flights to Faisalabad, Karachi, Multan, Quetta and Sialkot cities of Pakistan.

“Pakistan has long been an important market for flydubai,” Hamad Obaidalla, chief commercial officer at flydubai, was quoted as saying in the press release. “Since 2010 when we first started operations to the market, we have seen sustained demand for travel and with the start of our daily services to Islamabad and Lahore, we look forward to offering passengers more opportunities to explore Dubai, the GCC region and beyond on the flydubai network.”

“As our flights will be operated by our fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, we are confident that passengers will enjoy an enhanced travel experience with our onboard product,” Sudhir Sreedharan, senior vice president of commercial operations (UAE, GCC, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent) at flydubai, said. 

The press release said passengers traveling with flydubai can enjoy “internationally-inspired menus” and hours of immersive entertainment in the Business class while passengers in the Economy class can enjoy optimized space and comfort.

As per the airline, the return Business class fares from DXB to ISB start from AED 5,500 ($1497) and Economy class fares start from AED 1,300 ($353). Return Business class fares from ISB to DXB start from Rs400,000 ($1436) and Economy class fares start from Rs120,000 ($430). 

Return Business class fares from DXB to LHE start from AED 5,500 (1497) and Economy class fares start from AED 1,200 ($326), the airline said. It added that return Business class fares from LHE to DXB start from Rs400,000 ($1436) and Economy class fares start from Rs 120,000 ($430). 


Security forces kill 11 militants in separate operations in Pakistan’s northwest

Updated 10 January 2026
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Security forces kill 11 militants in separate operations in Pakistan’s northwest

  • Pakistan has struggled to contain a surge in militancy in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan
  • Militant groups such as the Pakistani Taliban frequently target convoys of security forces, police and government officials

ISLAMABAD: Security forces gunned down 11 Pakistani Taliban militants in separate operations in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the Pakistani military said on Saturday, amid a surge in militancy in the South Asian country.

The first intelligence-based operation was conducted in North Waziristan district, which borders Afghanistan, during which six militants were killed, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.

Another joint intelligence-based operation by police and security forces was conducted in the Kurram district, which led to the killing of five other Pakistani Taliban militants in a fire exchange.

“Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from killed Indian-sponsored khwarij (militants), who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities,” the ISPR said in a statement.

“Sanitization operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored kharja (militant) found in the area.”

There was no immediate comment by New Delhi to the Pakistani military statement.

Pakistan has struggled to contain a surge in militancy in KP in recent years. Militant groups such as the Pakistani Taliban, or the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), have frequently targeted convoys of security forces, police stations and check-posts besides kidnapping government officials in the region.

Last year, the South Asian country saw 73 percent increase in combat-related deaths, with both security forces and militants suffering casualties in large numbers.

As per statistics released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), combat-related deaths in 2025 rose 73 percent to 3,387, compared with 1,950 in 2024. These deaths included 2,115 militants, 664 security forces personnel, 580 civilians and 28 members of pro-government peace committees (combatants), the think tank said in a press release.

Islamabad has frequently accused Afghanistan of allowing its soil and India of backing militant groups, including the TTP, for attacks against Pakistan. Kabul and New Delhi have consistently denied this.