PIA suspends flight operation to Damascus

Pakistan's national flag carrier suspended flights to Damascus on Friday after Israeli air strikes at the Damascus airport, a spokesman for the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said on Saturday.

“Both runways are inactive due to bombing at the Damascus airport that led to complete suspension of (flight) operations there,” PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khand said in a statement.

Israeli missile attack strikes southern Damascus: Syrian state media

The flight PK135-175 took off Friday morning from Jinnah international airport but returned after receiving the news of non-operational airports in Damascus.

The cancellation of the incoming flight PK136 had left 169 passengers stranded at the Damascus airport, he said.

PIA has apologised for the inconvenience faced by the passengers, clarifying that the flight’s cancellation was "unavoidable due to operational issues."

"As soon as the runway gets functional, all the flights will be re-scheduled," said the PIA official.

Meanwhile, Syria’s transport ministry announced on Friday that the suspension of incoming and outgoing flights resulted due to technical disruptions caused by Israeli air strikes.

“The resumption of flights shall be declared once the installations and equipment are fixed to ensure the safety and security of the operational traffic,” it said.