ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has directed immediate repatriation of Pakistanis stranded in Syria due to suspension of flight operations.
In a message, the foreign minister directed the Pakistan Embassy in Damascus to ensure immediate repatriation of stranded Pakistanis.
Meanwhile, the Pakistani Embassy confirmed that it has contacted all Pakistanis stranded in Syria. It further said that arrangements for the repatriation of all Pakistanis will be completed soon.
It is pertinent to mention that flight operation in Syria was suspended due to severe damage to Damascus Airport due to airstrikes by Israeli forces. Nearly 160 Pakistanis are trapped in Syria due to suspension of flight operations.
Earlier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) spokersperson said the flight operations of the national flag carrier to and from Damascus was beinf suspended after the Israeli forces resorted to bombardment at the Syrian capital’s airport the other day.
“Both runways are inactive due to bombing at the Damascus airport that led to complete suspension of (flight) operations there,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
The spokesperson said he PIA had to cancel the flight PK-135 from Karachi to Damascus that was scheduled to take off on Friday morning carrying 170 passengers.
Flight PK-136 was due to bring 169 passengers from Damascus. However, the flights were cancelled due to the runways being completely inactive.
The spokesman regretted the inconvenience faced by the passengers, explaining that the flight’s cancellation was unavoidable due to the confronted operational issues.
He said the flights would be rescheduled as soon as the runways were restored, otherwise passengers would be transported through alternative means.
Israeli attack
Syria halted flights to and from Damascus International Airport “until further notice” on Friday after Israeli air strikes damaged the airstrip and a terminal, the transport ministry said.
A Syrian military official quoted by the state news agency SANA said Syrian air defences intercepted the Israeli missiles, downing most of them, but that the early morning attack wounded one civilian and caused some material damage.
The transport ministry said the airport had stopped all flights, and a later statement said Israeli air strikes damaged the runway and one of the terminals.
“As a result of this damage, all arriving and departing flights at the airport have been suspended until further notice,” the ministry’s second statement said.
