Iranian strikes against a US base in Qatar on Monday forced several airlines, including the PIA, to cancel flights to various destinations in the Gulf region because of the closure of airspace.
The PIA said that its flight operation from Pakistan to Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Dubai were suspended because of the escalating military situation in the Gulf countries. "Decision to suspend scheduled flights has been taken in light of the escalating military situation in Gulf," it said.
The announcement came as Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait announced the closure of their airspaces, following the Iranian missiles strikes, targeting a US base outside Doha in Qatar. These countries feared Iran's retaliation to US strikes on its nuclear sites on Sunday might expand other countries in Gulf.
Bahrain – home to the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet said that it was shutting down its airspace temporarily as a "precaution".
"The Civil Aviation Affairs of the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications announced the temporary suspension of air navigation in the skies of the Kingdom of Bahrain as a precautionary measure in light of recent regional developments," said the official Bahrain News Agency.
(WITH INPUT FROM AGENCIES)
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