A total of 60 flights were cancelled and 14 others faced significant delays across Pakistan on Thursday due to widespread operational disruptions at several major airports.
Karachi recorded the highest number of cancellations, with 24 flights grounded, affecting international routes to Jeddah, Doha, Dubai, Sharjah, Madinah, Najaf, and Abu Dhabi.
Lahore followed closely, with 19 flights cancelled on routes including Dammam, Dubai, Jeddah, and Kuwait, disrupting travel plans for thousands of passengers throughout the day.
In Islamabad, six flights were cancelled on routes to Jeddah, Riyadh, Tehran, and Dubai, adding to the scale of disruption reported at airports across the country today.
Additional cancellations were reported from Sialkot, Multan, Peshawar, and Faisalabad, indicating that the disruption extended well beyond three primary international aviation hubs.
A Pakistan International Airlines flight on route PK-862, travelling from Jeddah to Karachi, was delayed by approximately 4.5 hours, stranding passengers awaiting departure from Saudi Arabia.
Flights PK-302 and PK-303, operating between Karachi and Lahore on domestic routes, were each delayed by around four hours, compounding difficulties for travellers within Pakistan.
Authorities have not yet released any formal explanation for the scale of disruptions, leaving passengers at multiple airports uncertain about the reasons behind the sudden widespread cancellations.
| Airport | Cancellations | Key routes affected |
|---|---|---|
| Karachi | 24 | Jeddah, Doha, Dubai, Sharjah, Madinah, Najaf, Abu Dhabi |
| Lahore | 19 | Dammam, Dubai, Jeddah, Kuwait |
| Islamabad | 6 | Jeddah, Riyadh, Tehran, Dubai |
| Sialkot, Multan, Peshawar, Faisalabad | 11+ | Various domestic and international routes |
