142 flights operated between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, as 72-hours deadline nears

• Pakistan Civil Aviation has requested Saudi Aviation to increase the ultimatum by 72 hours.
• Airlines from both countries have requested further delay until March 18, CAA said

Amid the global rise in the coronavirus epidemic, some 142 flights were operated between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the last 72 hours, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) informed on Saturday.

The CAA informed that 18,843 passengers were sent from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia. Whereas 21,180 passengers were brought from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan, CAA said

Pakistan Civil Aviation has requested Saudi Aviation to increase the ultimatum by 72 hours. Airlines from both countries have requested further delay until March 18, CAA said

Earlier, Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan on Friday said that additional six to seven flights would be operated between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to bring Pakistani Umra pilgrims back home and take Pakistani workers to the Kingdom before the Saudi deadline of suspending flight operations ends on Sunday.

The Minister for Aviation, in a video message, said that besides the national flag carrier PIA, the services of the country’s private airlines including Air Blue and Serene Air were being hired to meet the deadline of 72 hours given by Saudi Arabia.

About the situation in the wake of coronavirus (COVID-19), Ghulam Sarwar Khan said that the National Security Committee (NSC) in its meeting presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided to suspend the operation of international flights at five airports of the country and restricted it to the airports of Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi alone.