Karachi: About 250 Pakistani pilgrims remain stranded in Syria as rebels oust President Bashar al-Assad, adding to unrest.
Cham Wings country head Tariq Samiullah confirmed that the insurgents had closed the airport, effectively grounding all outbound flights.
“Today our flight to Lahore has been cancelled,” he said, adding that another flight to Karachi on December 11 has also been cancelled.
Hajjaj reported uncertainty regarding Chamwings’ flight schedule for the day, with no clear update provided. Meanwhile, the situation in Damascus remains tense, with gunfire in the Sayeda Zainab area causing panic among nearby residents.
Syrian rebels announced this morning that they had captured Damascus, putting President Assad on the run and ending five decades of Baath rule in the war-torn country.
The swift takeover after more than 13 years of civil war stunned the world, marking a seismic moment for the Middle East.
Syria’s army command also informed officers on Sunday that Assad’s regime had ended, a Syrian officer briefed on the move told Reuters.
Witnesses reported thousands of people gathered in a central square in the capital, chanting “freedom” as rebels announced the end of Assad’s rule.
Amidst the chaos, Sednaya prison – notorious for holding thousands of political prisoners – has reportedly been liberated, with rebels celebrating the release of the prisoners.
In light of the worsening situation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MoFA) announced earlier today that it has activated its Crisis Management Unit (CMU) to assist Pakistani nationals stranded in Syria.
The Foreign Office (FO) has asked Pakistani nationals and their families in Syria to contact CMU at the following telephone number/email address: 051-9207887/ cmu1@mofa.gov.pk.
Meanwhile, the Pakistani embassy in Damascus is actively working to facilitate Pakistani nationals in Syria, the Foreign Office (FO) said in a press release on Saturday.
The Embassy of Pakistan, Damascus can be reached at:
Mobile Phone/WhatsApp: +963 987 127 822; +963 990 138 972 and Email: parepdamascus@mofa.gov.pk.
On December 6, the Foreign Office advised Pakistani citizens to avoid unnecessary travel to Syria and exercise extreme caution.
Those currently in Syria were urged to contact the Pakistani Embassy in Damascus for any assistance.