NewCathay Pacific to suspend all Pakistan flights after Karachi airport attack

Cathay Pacific is to suspend flights to and from Pakistan, officials said on Tuesday, following last week’s brazen attack on Karachi airport which left 38 people dead including the 10 attackers.

“The airline is ceasing its operations in Pakistan for an indefinite time for both security and economic reasons,” Sohail Younas, Pakistan sales manager for Cathay Pacific said.

On Monday Taliban militants warned international firms and airlines to wind up their business in Pakistan or face attacks in the wake of a Pakistani military offensive launched the day before.

A spokeswoman in Hong Kong, where the airline is headquartered, added: “Because of commercial reasons, we have decided that the last flight leaving Hong Kong to Karachi will depart on June 28.”

Cathay said in a statement on its website it would operate 14 more flights to and from Karachi before operations cease.

“This is to avoid disruptions for the hundreds of passengers who will be travelling prior to the holy month of Ramadan,” it said.