ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Monday announced a temporary suspension of flights to several Gulf nations after recent strikes by Iran on a US military base in Qatar.
According to a statement issued by the airline’s spokesperson, flights from Pakistan to Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Dubai have been cancelled.
The decision was made due to the growing risk posed by the ongoing conflict-like situation in parts of the Gulf.
In view emerging situation in the Gulf region, #PIA is temporarily suspending its flights to #Doha, #Kuwait, #Bahrain and #Dubai.
All pax are requested to kindly contact our Call Centre at 021-111-786-786 for updated flight info / rebooking on alternate flights.
— PIA (@Official_PIA) June 23, 2025
“The safety of our passengers remains our top priority,” the PIA spokesperson said. “We deeply regret the inconvenience caused by the flight cancellations, but these steps are necessary under the current circumstances.”
PIA assured that flights will resume once the regional situation returns to normal.
Passengers who had booked travel on the affected routes are advised to stay updated through the PIA call centre for the latest information about their flights.
The PIA reservations department has started rebooking affected passengers on alternative available flights. “We apologise for the disruption and inconvenience this may cause,” the statement read, “but the safety and security of our travellers come before all else.”
PIA has urged all travellers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
Earlier, Iran’s National Security Council confirmed it had attacked a major US military base in Qatar on Monday, adding its response did not “pose any threat” to its Gulf neighbour.
“In response to the US aggressive and insolent action against Iran’s nuclear sites and facilities, a few hours ago, the powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran struck the US air base in Al-Udeid, Qatar,” the council said in a statement, adding that the number of missiles used “was the same as the number of bombs that the US had used in attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities”.
Qatar’s Defence Ministry said its air defence had successfully intercepted the missile attack on Al-Udeid Air Base, which resulted in no deaths or injuries.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, in a statement on X, said, “We express the State of Qatar’s strong condemnation of the attack on Al Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and consider it a flagrant violation of the State of Qatar’s sovereignty and airspace, as well as of international law and the United Nations Charter.”
