PIA to operate special flights to Iraq for Arbaeen pilgrims

ISLAMABAD: A special flight operation has been announced for the Arbaeen pilgrims visiting Najaf in Iraq, by Pakistan International Airlines on Monday.

The announcement came after the government decided to ban road travelling amid the security situation in Balochistan.

The flights will operate from August 8 to 11, and the return flights are scheduled between August 18 and August 23, according to a spokesperson for PIA.

The ticket price at $675 for the Arbaeen flight operation has been set by the PIA as a special discount.

According to the spokesman, the airline is ready to add more flights in response to demand, and ticket sales have already started for all of the flights that have been announced.

According to sources, a large number of Arbaeen pilgrims have asked for more aircraft additions and cost discounts in order to handle the large number of visitors.

Earlier, the Federal Minister for Interior announced that “After extensive consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Balochistan Government, and security agencies, it has been decided that Zaireen will not be allowed to travel to Iraq and Iran by road for Arbaeen this year. This difficult decision was taken in the interest of public safety and national security,” Mohsin Naqvi stated on his X account.

Meanwhile, In Quetta, a group of Arbaeen pilgrims staged a protest against the road travel restriction, calling for the reinstatement of by-road travel and sufficient security measures.

The demonstrators claimed, “The common and middle class cannot afford air travel,” and they urged the government to reevaluate the ruling and permit pilgrimages by road for people who cannot afford flights.