Daily Times

The government on Thursday extended the suspension of domestic flight operation till May 10, 2020.

Director Air Transport CAA has issued a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) regarding extension in the suspension of domestic flight operations.

“As per the decision of the Government of Pakistan, the suspension of Domestic flight operations as effected earlier has been extended up to Sunday, May 10, 2020.

As per the decision of the Government of Pakistan, the suspension of Domestic flight operations as effected earlier has been extended upto Sunday, May 10, 2020 at 2359 hours PST.

The decision was taken after the meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC), held in Islamabad today, has announced the suspension of domestic flights across the country.

Meanwhile, the Government of Pakistan will be operating special charter flights for repatriation of stranded Pakistanis from the United States in collaboration with the national flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

Initially two special flights will operate from Washington D.C. (IAD) first to Islamabad (ISB) on 10th May 2020 and second to Karachi (KHI) on 13th May 2020.

Also, another flight will operate from Newark Airport, New Jersey for Lahore, dates for which will be announced shortly. In addition, Govt. of Pakistan will also operate three more flights from US for repatriation of Pakistani citizens. Dates, cities of origin and destinations in Pakistan will be announced in due course of time.

Stranded Pakistanis already registered with the Embassy and its Consulates will be contacted to facilitate their travel by special flights. For flight related details please contact PIA Contact Centre at +92 21 111 786 786.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari has indicated that five special flights would bring stranded citizens to Pakistan from Qatar in next two weeks.

Addressing to Pakistani community via teleconference, he said currently 5,500 Pakistanis were stuck in Qatar due to closure of International flight operations amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Zulfikar Bukhari told the teleconference that 700 laid off Pakistani workers would be repatriated to Pakistan from the Middle East and their travel expenses would be provided by their foreign employers.

“These unemployed Pakistanis will be given employment through Kamyab Jawan program,” he added.

The SAPM vowed to send two community welfare attache to Qatar in the next few days, said a press release issued by the overseas ministry.

The virtual town hall meeting was arranged by the OP&HRD Ministry to inform the community about the decisions taken by the government to provide relief to the Pakistani Diaspora in the wake of coronavirus.

The meeting was attended by more than 50 people including officials of Pakistan’s embassy and ambassador in Qatar.

On the other hand, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani on Thursday asked the federal government to allow Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to resume domestic flights in order to facilitate parliamentarians’ travel during the coronavirus lockdown.

Sanjrani in a statement stressed the need for opening domestic flights to facilitate members of both houses of Parliament, who, he said, will have to travel to the capital to attend sessions of the National Assembly and the Senate.

He said domestic flight operations will have to be resumed with foolproof precautionary measures to avert the spread of the novel coronavirus.

While a National Assembly session is to be convened next week, the opposition a day earlier submitted a requisition to Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani to call a session of the upper house of Parliament as well.

Some 34 senators signed the requisition, calling for discussions on the government’s strategy to cope with the coronavirus pandemic and a clear policy to tackle its adverse impact on the country’s sagging economy.

The agenda they have worked out also includes discussion on the impact of the deadly virus on national security and foreign policy, Indian atrocities in occupied Jammu and Kashmir and discrimination being perpetrated against Indian Muslims in the neighbouring country.

Earlier, on May 5, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs, Babar Awan had released a video statement confirming that a national assembly session will be called this Monday, May 11 at 3pm.