An Iranian airline has launched a new passenger service linking the northwestern city of Mashhad with Lahore in central-eastern Pakistan.
The inaugural flight on Saturday carried 161 passengers from Mashhad, also referred to as Iran’s religious capital, to Lahore. It returned the same day with 155 passengers.
Kish Air will operate the route every Saturday, effectively doubling the number of weekly flights from Iran to Lahore. Mahan Air already runs a once-weekly service between Lahore and Tehran on Saturdays.
Lahore, the capital of Pakistan’s most populous province, Punjab, has long maintained strong trade, cultural, and political ties with various Iranian provinces.
During a recent visit to Pakistan, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at expanding transportation cooperation between the two neighboring countries.