Pakistan’s PIA Suspends Flights from Kabul

Islamabad — Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Thursday announced the suspension of operations from Kabul, citing "security reasons," weeks after it evacuated thousands of people following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

"We have suspended our flight operations from today," said Abdullah Hafeez Khan, a PIA spokesperson.

It is not yet clear for how long the flight operations will remain suspended, he said.

Khan said that "security concerns" and the "heavy-handedness of the Taliban" were among the reasons behind the decision.

He said that PIA's staff and crew were subjected to Taliban intimidation despite the fact they were working under difficult circumstances while others suspended their operations.

Khan did not share details of the intimidation. 

The Taliban government, according to reports, has also directed the airline to cut prices to the levels they were before the fall of the Afghan government. 

Pakistan's national flag carrier had been operating five weekly flights to Kabul before the Taliban took over.  

After the fall of Kabul and following approaches by a number of foreign missions and agencies - including the United Nations, European Union and World Bank, as well as humanitarian and news organizations - PIA had continued to operate charter flights.

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