Article:
As the ongoing conflict between Iran and the Middle East continues to intensify, Pakistani airspace has seen a significant disruption. According to official reports, a total of 52 flights have been canceled, while 50 have been delayed. The impact is being felt across major cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and Peshawar, with 11 flights canceled in each city.
Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan, has seen 16 flights canceled to the Middle East, while 15 have been delayed. The situation is equally dire in Lahore, where 8 flights to Kuwait, Doha, and Dubai have been canceled, with 7 delayed. Islamabad has seen 15 flights canceled, while 20 have been delayed. Peshawar has witnessed 10 flights canceled to Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah, along with 2 flights canceled from Multan.
The conflict, which has been ongoing for over a month, has seen a staggering 2,600 flights canceled from Pakistan to the Middle East. The situation has prompted criticism from various quarters, with former provincial minister Sher Afzal Marwat questioning the competence of the government.
“We have appointed someone as a chief minister who cannot even run a primary school,” Marwat said. “The current chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has failed to form his cabinet in six months.”
Meanwhile, the police have announced plans to take action against drivers who operate vehicles without a driving license. The move comes as the country’s top leadership is grappling with the crisis.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called a meeting to discuss the proposed fuel support program for motorcyclists and rickshaw drivers. The meeting was attended by Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for Information, Shafiq Jan, who revealed that the government has obtained a video clip of PTI founder Imran Khan’s son, Qasim Khan, demanding the restoration of the GS Plus degree.
The government has also begun exploring the possibility of repatriating $20 billion in foreign remittances from the Middle East and Europe. In a separate incident, power thieves have been stealing electricity from 26 transformers in the Bhaag Mai Gindawah feeder, while 5 power poles have been damaged in the Kasur area.
In a related development, the Ministry of Health in Punjab has taken action against five doctors at Lady Willingdon Hospital in Lahore. The move comes as the country’s authorities are struggling to maintain law and order.
The Ministry of Interior has confirmed that the authorities are taking action against drivers who operate vehicles without a driving license.
In a separate development, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt’s foreign ministers have concluded an important consultative meeting in Pakistan. The meeting was attended by the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Suhail Anwar Khan, who expressed his disappointment with the federal government’s handling of the situation.
The Chief Minister said that the federal government’s actions have made the situation “more complicated.” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has assured the nation that the government will prioritize public relief during this crisis.
The bodies and injured have been shifted to hospitals, and hundreds of people have been arrested for allegedly smuggling migrants on foot. In another development, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, met with Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Dr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, to discuss the crisis.
The meeting concluded with a joint statement condemning the violence in Iran and calling for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
