Flight Cancellations Reach 578 in Five Days Amid Rising Middle East Tensions

**Karachi:** Due to escalating tensions in the Middle East involving **Iran**, **Israel**, and the **United States**, along with the closure of airspace in several countries, another **162 flights** have been cancelled from airports across Pakistan, including Karachi. This brings the total number of cancelled flights to **578 over the past five days**.

According to sources, the closure of airspace has disrupted operations at several major airports including **Jinnah International Airport**, as well as airports in **Islamabad**, **Lahore**, **Peshawar**, **Multan**, **Sialkot**, and **Faisalabad**. Flights heading to Middle Eastern destinations such as the **United Arab Emirates**, **Qatar**, **Bahrain**, and **Kuwait** have been particularly affected.

From Karachi airport alone, **40 flights** to destinations including **Dubai**, **Abu Dhabi**, **Doha**, **Sharjah**, **Kuwait City**, and **Manama** were cancelled. Additionally, **38 flights from Islamabad**, **28 from Lahore**, **24 from Peshawar**, **18 from Multan**, **8 from Sialkot**, and **6 from Faisalabad** were also called off.

The cancelled flights include operations by major airlines such as **Emirates**, **Etihad Airways**, **Air Arabia**, **Pakistan International Airlines**, **Airblue**, **flydubai**, and **Qatar Airways**.

Sources said that since **February 28**, airlines have been forced to cancel flights due to the closure of airspace in several countries including the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iran, leaving thousands of passengers facing significant travel difficulties. ✈️