KARACHI – Pakistan national flag carrier has started direct flights to theMashhad after a five-year hiatus to boost religious tourism with Iran.
Reports in local media said the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) hasresumed flight operations for the Western Asian country as the first PIAflight PK-119 has departed for Mashhad with 165 passengers on board.
The spokesperson of national flag carrier Abdullah Khan said the firstflight departed from Punjab capital Lahore to Mashhad, a city in northeastIran known as a place of religious pilgrimage, on Wednesday night, whiledirect flights from Karachi to Mashhad will begin on Saturday.
PIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Arshad Malik said that the move willprovide direct and easy travel facilities to the people willing to travelto Iran from Pakistan. The airline will remain at the forefront to ensurepilgrims can visit the Holy places in Iran with ease.
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Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Mohammad Ali Hosseini shared a tweet aboutthe development saying that the two countries have agreed to promotecooperation in tourism.
Earlier in August, Pakistan International Airlines has run special flightsto Iraq on Ashura. The special flights will take off for Najaf fromIslamabad, Lahore, and Karachi from August 11 to facilitate pilgrims whotravel to Iraq during Muharram.
