Daily Times

BEIJING: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is all set to resume its weekly commercial passenger flights on Islamabad-Xian and Beijing-Islamabad route from June 11 (Saturday).

The national flag carrier has been accorded permission by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to operate its commercial passenger flight for Xian Xianyang International Airport, official sources informed APP here on Wednesday.

The PIA flight PK-854 will leave from Islamabad for Xian on June 11 (Saturday) and arrive on the same day. PIA flight PK-855 will return to Islamabad from Beijing Capital International Airport on June 12 (Sunday).

During the last month meeting between Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held in Guangzhou, China, the two countries agreed on resumption of direct flights operated by Pakistan International Airlines as soon as possible.

The two leaders also agreed on increasing direct flights between the two countries according to the development of the epidemic.

PIA suspended its flight operation between Pakistan and China in December last year after the closure of Xian airport following the Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control measures imposed by the Chinese authorities.