Passengers travelling between Afghanistan and destinations in the Middle East will be able to book connecting flights through a single reservation under an interline agreement signed between Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Afghanistan’s Kam Air.
The agreement is aimed at providing a more convenient transit route through Islamabad International Airport. The first phase covers the Kabul-Islamabad-Dammam connection.
Under the arrangement, passengers can purchase their complete journey through a unified booking instead of separate tickets for each flight segment.
Checked baggage from Kabul will be transferred directly to the connecting PIA flight at Islamabad airport, meaning passengers will not have to collect and recheck their luggage during transit.
Afghan passengers travelling onward to Gulf destinations will also be able to remain in the airside transit area at Islamabad airport and avoid immigration clearance in Pakistan, provided they do not leave the transit zone.
A PIA spokesperson said the agreement would streamline connections between Afghanistan and major destinations in the Middle East through Islamabad.
Separately, the government has made Nadra-integrated vaccination certificates mandatory for international passengers departing from Pakistan.
According to an Airport Health Department directive, travellers will not be permitted to leave the country without valid vaccination records for polio, meningitis, yellow fever and influenza, where applicable.
Vaccination services and online registration are expected to be made available at international departure lounges in the coming days. Passengers requiring vaccination at the airport have been advised to arrive at least six hours before their scheduled flight.
The directive said vaccination payments would be processed through the Nadra e-Sahulat platform.
For passengers travelling to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage, the federal government’s civil dispensary has been designated as the authorised vaccination centre.
To prevent inconvenience for Umrah pilgrims, airlines, including PIA, have been instructed to inform travel agents about the new requirements. Only Nadra-integrated vaccination certificates will be accepted for international travel.
A PIA spokesperson confirmed that passengers would not be allowed to travel internationally without the required vaccination proof.
Travellers have been advised to obtain the necessary documentation before reaching the airport, while Haj and Umrah passengers travelling to Saudi Arabia must receive vaccinations from an authorised government facility.
Umrah pilgrims are also required to obtain a digital vaccination card through Nadra before travelling.
