PIA suspends Riyadh flights as other Saudi routes continue

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has temporarily halted its flight operations to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, due to the "situation in the Middle East," a spokesperson announced on Friday. Passengers are advised to contact the PIA call center for updates on their flight status. The decision follows the intensifying conflict between Saudi and Houthi forces.

On Wednesday, three individuals lost their lives in attacks on two Saudi international airports, including the capital Riyadh, as per Yemen's Houthis' claim of firing on the hubs. A Pakistani national was injured in the Riyadh airport attack, alongside five Saudi citizens and two Egyptians. Riyadh airport faced another strike on Thursday, resulting in extensive damage to a plane.

As of Friday, 104 flights arriving at or departing from Riyadh airport were canceled, while 154 were delayed, according to Flightradar24. On Thursday, the website's data reported 335 canceled flights. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, reaffirming Pakistan's commitment to the country's "sovereignty, territorial integrity and security" under the Makkah Defence Alliance.

Signed on August 7, the defense pact, involving Pakistan and Turkiye, aims to enhance collective deterrence and empower signatory states to consider an attack against one as an attack against all. On Monday, Pakistan, alongside Turkiye, agreed to deploy military forces and capabilities swiftly in Saudi Arabia. Following the onset of the US-Iran war, PIA had previously suspended flights to several Gulf countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait. At that time, the airline stated that it would not halt flights to Saudi Arabia.