Pakistan launches direct flights to Azerbaijan Boosting strategic relations, regional collaboration

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced the launch of direct flights to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, marking a new phase in the deepening relationship between the two countries as they ramp up cooperation across trade, energy, and regional connectivity.

The new route, which will commence on April 20, was unveiled during a special ceremony in Karachi on April 13, Caliber.Az reports per Arab media. 

PIA officials confirmed that two weekly flights will operate from Lahore to Baku, departing on Sundays and Wednesdays. The service aims to boost tourism and strengthen economic ties between the two nations.

The announcement comes as Islamabad and Baku build on growing bilateral ties. Earlier this year, Azerbaijan pledged a $2 billion investment in Pakistan’s mining, energy, and infrastructure sectors during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s February visit to Baku.

In return, Pakistan has offered Azerbaijan and other Central Asian nations access to its key seaports in Gwadar and Karachi.

PIA, which has long battled financial instability, surprised analysts by posting an operational profit of $33.48 million and a net profit of $94.32 million in the last fiscal year—its first profit in over two decades.

The new Baku route is seen as part of the airline’s strategy to tap into new markets and bolster its turnaround, particularly as the Pakistani government advances plans to privatise the carrier under a $7 billion IMF programme aimed at overhauling state-owned enterprises and reviving the economy.

By Aghakazim Guliyev