PIA flight carrying 332 Brits leaves for Manchester

As the PIA management sorted out the problems with pilots, its operations have started returning to normal as another special flight left for the UK on Wednesday morning.

Flight No 701 with 332 passengers on onboard left Islamabad for Manchester as part of a special operation to transport the British citizens stranded in Pakistan.

The British High Commission has been making hectic efforts to arrange special flights for its citizens as the UK government issued an advisory last month, asking the 750,000 Brits stuck around the world to return back home due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Pakistan had shut all the international flights' operations on March 21 for 14 days, creating panic among the foreigners in Pakistan.

Since then several countries – including the US, Germany, Canada and the UK – have held talks with the Pakistani government for special flights for their citizens and diplomats.

The PIA started the special operations [12 flights in total] for the UK on April 4 after which around 2,000 Brits have returned to their country.

According to the schedule, another PIA flight will leave Lahore for London later in the day.

Similarly, two PIA aircraft will transport the British nationals from Islamabad to Manchester and another to London on April 9.

It was earlier reported the PIA will also operate more flights for the UK on April 11 but no schedule has announced so far.