Pakistanis stranded at Doha airport reach Muscat
June 06, 2017
MUSCAT/DOHA: The 550 Pakistanis, who were stuck at Doha airport in the wake of Saudi-Qatar row, have been transported to Muscat via Oman Airlines, sources said Tuesday, after being stranded there for two days.
These Pakistani nationals were left stranded at Doha airport after Saudi Arabia banned all flights from Qatar Airways into its airspace following the diplomatic disruption in the Middle East.
On Monday, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Egypt, among other countries, cut off all ties with Qatar on allegations that Doha supports terrorism and extremism. The move followed severing of all land, air and sea links with Qatar and vice versa.
As a result, Pakistani pilgrims proceeding to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah were left in a limbo as Qatar Airways was barred from entering Saudi Arabia. According to reports, the airline failed to provide accommodation to the Pakistani passengers, forcing them to settle in at the airport's departure lounge.
However, the Government of Pakistan made special efforts to acquire services of Oman Airlines, to transport them to Jeddah. The first special flight took 400 Pakistani pilgrims to Muscat, while another brought the remaining 150 devotees.
They will now be taken Jeddah.
The government had earlier instructed concerned officials of the Pakistan International Airlines to arrange special flights to take the stranded pilgrims out of Doha.
