Pakistan International Airlines suspended flights operation from Karachi to Damascus on Friday after Israeli air strikes on the Damascus airport.

The flight PK135-175 took off Friday morning from Jinnah international airport but returned after receiving the news of non-operational airports in Damascus.

Cancellation of the incoming flight PK136 left 169 passengers stranded on the Damascus airport.

PIA has apologized for the inconvenience but the decision was inevitable due to the current circumstances, PIA customer care officials said.

As soon as the runway gets functional, all the flights will be re-scheduled, said PIA.

Syria’s transport ministry announced on Friday that the suspension of incoming and outgoing flights resulted due to technical disruptions caused by Israeli air strikes.

“The resumption of flights shall be declared once the installations and equipment are fixed to ensure the safety and security of the operational traffic,” it said.