RAWALPINDI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will be operating special flights to Doha to bring back Pakistani pilgrims stranded there.

In a statement issued on Monday, PIA CEO Nayyar Hayat had directed that special flights be arranged for the pilgrims.

Mr Hayat has asked the country manager to coordinate with the Pakistanis stranded in Qatar. PIA officials in Doha have also been directed to contact the Pakistani embassy in Doha.

Pakistani pilgrims who were travelling to Saudi Arabia for Umrah via Qatar were stranded in Doha after several countries including Saudi Arabia, UAE and Egypt cut diplomatic ties with Qatar.

According to media reports, Riyadh closed its land, sea and air contact with Qatar, which called the decision ‘unjustified’.

Meanwhile passengers on board PIA flight PK-770 from Islamabad to Barcelona were stuck in Paris after the Boeing 777 aircraft developed technical problems. The flight carrying a team of engineers and equipment for the faulty aircraft was also delayed due to closure of the runway at Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Islamabad, for cleaning.

Later, the flight took off at 3:30pm after resumption of flight operations.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2017