Karachi: Pakistan national flag carrier has started direct flights to the Mashhad after a five-year hiatus to boost religious tourism with Iran.
Reports in local media said the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has resumed flight operations for the Western Asian country as the first PIA flight PK-119 has departed for Mashhad with 165 passengers on board.
The development reportedly came as a result of “serious efforts by the Iranian Embassy in Islamabad” for the facilitation of air travel between the two countries.
The spokesperson of national flag carrier Abdullah Khan said the first flight departed from Punjab capital Lahore to Mashhad, a city in northeast Iran known as a place of religious pilgrimage, on Wednesday night, while direct flights from Karachi to Mashhad will begin on Saturday.
The announcement for the beginning of PIA’s direct flight operations from Lahore to Mashhad was made by the airline’s Chief Executive Officer during a meeting with Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Mohammad Ali Hosseini, a press statement by the IRNA read.
PIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Air Marshal Arshad Malik said that the move will provide direct and easy travel facilities to the people willing to travel to Iran from Pakistan. The airline will remain at the forefront to ensure pilgrims can visit the Holy places in Iran with ease.
