IranAir Launches Two Flights From Mashhad to Pakistan

EghtesadOnline: National flag carrier IranAir has launched direct roundtrip flights between Mashhad, the capital of Khorasan Razavi Province, and the city of Lahore in Pakistan.

News ID: ۷۸۷۵۶۶

05 January 2022

Flights depart from Mashhad International Airport at 4:50 a.m. and arrive at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore at 10 a.m. every Statuary.

The return flight departs from Lahore at 11 a.m. (local time) and arrives in Mashhad at 1:40 p.m. on the same day.

IranAir is also planning to operate Mashhad-Karachi return flights as of today. Flights are scheduled to depart from Mashhad at 9:30 a.m. and arrive at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi at 1:25 p.m. on Wednesdays.

The return flight departs at 2:25 p.m. (local time) and arrives at 3:40 p.m. in Mashhad on the same day.

After five years, a Pakistan International Airline flight, PK-119, took 165 passengers to Iran’s Mashhad on Wednesday night (Dec. 29). The national carrier has now officially resumed flight operations to the neighboring country, Pakistan’s television network SAMAA reported.

According to PIA Spokesman Abdullah Khan, another flight to Mashhad from Karachi was scheduled for Jan. 1.

“The development comes as a move to increase people-to-people contacts and boost the tourism industry of Pakistan,” the airlines’ CEO, Arshad Malik, said.

“The main aim of the flights is to ease the travel of pilgrims traveling between the two countries.”

Citing financial losses, PIA suspended operations on some international routes, including Mashhad, in 2013.

Flights to the Iranian city were later restored before they were grounded again in 2017, according to Anadolu Agency.

Mashhad is the second most-populous city of Iran located in the northeast. It is home to the shrine of Imam Reza (PBUH), the eighth Shia Imam.