Pakistan Evacuates Nationals from Iran Amid Escalating Conflict
In response to the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, Pakistan has initiated the evacuation of its citizens stranded in Iran due to the closure of Iranian airspace to commercial traffic. A special Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight, PK-9552, carrying 107 Pakistani nationals, landed in Islamabad early Wednesday morning. The passengers had been stranded in Iran after being unable to depart directly due to the airspace restrictions, which were imposed following the onset of hostilities between Israel and Iran last Friday.
The flight departed from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, after the passengers crossed into Turkmenistan by road, circumventing the closed Iranian airspace. The repatriation was coordinated by Pakistan’s embassies in Tehran and Ashgabat, with assistance from the Pakistani missions in both countries. PIA emphasized that the operation was conducted in line with its longstanding commitment to serve the national interest during challenging times.
The closure of Iranian airspace has significantly disrupted regional air travel, with several international carriers, including PIA, suspending or rerouting flights passing through Iranian airspace. This has left many foreign nationals, including Pakistani citizens, stranded in Iran. In response, Pakistan has also repatriated 268 nationals from Iraq via two flights on Monday and 450 nationals from Iran on Sunday.
While the exact number of Pakistanis remaining in Iran is not publicly available, foreign ministry officials have confirmed that further evacuations will be arranged if the situation deteriorates. The foreign ministry has also stated that diplomatic missions are in close contact with local authorities to ensure the safety of all nationals.
In a separate development, Pakistan has begun evacuating families of its diplomats and non-essential staff from Iran, as confirmed by a senior foreign office official. However, the embassy in Tehran and consulates in other cities will continue to operate to assist nationals and monitor the situation.
Pakistan has condemned Israel’s airstrikes on Iran, calling them an unjustified violation of Iranian sovereignty, and has urged the international community to help de-escalate tensions through dialogue.
