ISLAMABAD, June 20 (Xinhua) -- A special Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight carrying 121 Pakistani nationals from Iran arrived in Lahore, the capital city of Punjab province, on Friday afternoon, the PIA said in a statement.
The repatriation was necessitated by the ongoing closure of Iranian airspace, prompting the stranded passengers to travel overland from Iran to Azerbaijan's capital Baku, where the special flight was arranged, the statement added.
The Pakistani embassies in Iran and Azerbaijan worked in coordination with local authorities to ensure the safe transit and return of the citizens, the airline said.
According to official figures, over 1,400 Pakistanis have been repatriated from Iran -- more than 1,200 via the Taftan border and the rest through special PIA flights from Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. ■
