Combating coronavirus: Over 2,000 Pakistanis in UAE to be repatriated next week on special flights

Combating coronavirus: Over 2,000 Pakistanis in UAE to be repatriated next week on special flights

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is set to repatriate over 2,000 stranded Pakistani nationals to major cities in the country next week, Khaleej Times has learnt.. Aviation sources said PIA is expected to operate at least eight special flights to Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan during the week, once the government finalises quarantine arrangements for the special flights' passengers and gives a go-ahead to the national flag carrier.. 40,000 people have registered with the Pakistan Consulate in Dubai for repatriation.. It includes over 10,000 overseas Pakistanis who were rendered jobless because of the coronavirus outbreak.. Shahid Mughal, regional manager at PIA in Dubai, said the airline has so far received the permission for only four flights to two major cities.. "The PIA will operate two special flights to Lahore and two for Karachi on April 20.. We are still finalizing the schedule for the rest of the week and will share the details once approved by the top authorities," Mughal told Khaleej Times on Saturday.. We are expecting to get the permission to operate special flights to Faisalabad, Multan, Peshawar and Sialkot in the next phase," the PIA regional manager said.. "We are planning to repatriate around 2,000 stranded Pakistanis