Pakistan Airlines closes offices in Islamabad ahead of SCO Meeting citing 'security reasons'

Islamabad [Pakistan], October 13 (ANI): Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced that its offices in Islamabad will be closed from October 14 to 16, ARY News reported.

The closure for three days is a part of security measures the country is putting in place ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit.

Pakistan International Airlines is the national air carrier of Pakistan which started over 70 years ago.

Reeling under economic stress, the Pakistan government has started the process to privatise the airline. The airline causes a great debt on the national exchequer with PIA's total outstanding debt standing at PKR 825 billion.

According to the airline's circular, the PIA employees working in shifts at the airport will continue with their duties during this period. Furthermore, access to the Red Zone area in Islamabad has also been restricted for the general public to ensure security during the conference.

The SCO Meetings are scheduled to be held in Pakistani cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

As the country prepares for the meet, various stringent security measures have been put in place. These include tightening the security of Adiala Jail where former Pakistan PM Imran Khan is locked up, imposing of Section 144 in various cities such as Karachi and Rawalpindi, and even deploying the Pakistan Army's troops in Islamabad from October 5 to 17 to ensure law and order situation in the federal capital during the SCO summit, as reported by ARY News.

Earlier, the Supreme Court of Pakistan announced a three-day closure from October 14 to 16 in connection with the summit.

The decision was made under the Supreme Court rules and follows the issuance of an official notification by the Cabinet Division. The closure will specifically affect the principal seat of the Supreme Court in Islamabad, while all provincial registries will remain operational as usual. (ANI)