Pakistan, Turkmenistan ready to resume cargo and commercial flights

Pakistan and Turkmenistan are ready to resume cargo and commercial flights between the two countries, according to reports published Thursday by Turkmenportal.com and Trend.az.

Turkmenportal’s headline read: “Pakistan and Turkmenistan ready to resume cargo and commercial flights: ambassador.” Trend.az’s headline read: “Pakistan eyes resumption of cargo, commercial flights Turkmenistan.” Both outlets used the same standfirst text as the headline.

The announcement was attributed to an ambassador. Skardu Times could not verify the identity of the envoy because the full reports were not retrievable at the time of filing. The two outlets did not give a date for the resumption, nor did they name the airlines involved.

Turkmenportal.com is a news portal based in Turkmenistan, while Trend.az is an Azerbaijani news agency that reports on the Caspian and Central Asian region. Both regularly cover transport and trade stories.

Direct flights between Pakistan and Turkmenistan have been suspended for years. If restored, they would provide a direct air corridor for goods and passengers, reducing the need to travel through other countries.

Pakistan and Turkmenistan are connected by land through Afghanistan, but road routes have faced security and border delays. Air links would be faster for perishable cargo and business travel.

Neither report said whether the flights would be cargo-only at first or include passenger services. It is also unclear whether the two governments have signed a formal agreement or whether the announcement reflects a readiness to negotiate.

Skardu Times has reached out to Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority for comment and will update this report when it responds.