ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has resumed operations on Muscat route after a gap of over one year as its flight PK229 took off from Lahore Airport on Saturday night for Oman, carrying around 141 passengers.

“The decision to restore flights to Muscat was taken after anticipating high traffic flow on the route”, Mashhood Tajwar, PIA spokesperson told the Media today. He said District Manager PIA, Umar Nawaz Goraya adieu the passengers at Lahore Airport. The national flag carrier, he said, would operate twice weekly flights on Saturday and Sunday. With the introduction of these flights, PIA will have a total of nine flights to Muscat with seven other operating from Peshawar, Turbat, and Gwadar. Mashhood said PIA had also decided to restore its Sialkot-Sharjah route with twice-weekly flights every Tuesday and Friday.

“The fights from Sialkot will commence from this Tuesday (November 20) after which the airline will have five flights per week including three from Turbat”, he added. The decision to widen the business network came directly from PIA President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Air Marshal Arshad Malik, who ordered the commercial department to follow a robust strategy to increase the airline’s market access and revenues. “The national airline will rise to glory with the provision of facilities to passengers,” Air Marshal Arshad Malik said in a statement. He said it was also being planned to start flight operation from Lahore to some more foreign destinations.