A special flight of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) reached Islamabad on Saturday after dropping Shiite pilgrims there, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Saturday.

The national flag carrier is presently operating special flights to the Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Najaf and Syrian capital Damascus where the shrines of some of Islam’s most revered personalities are located.

A few days ago, a PIA flight, carrying 322 pilgrims, including Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan and PIA CEO Air Marshal Arshad Malik, had landed at Damascus airport after 27 long years where it was given water gun salute.

Both the aviation minister and PIA CEO had a meeting with the Syrian minister for transport at Islamabad’s international airport before leaving for Damascus.

The Syrian minister called upon them to make these special flights part of PIA’s regular flights’ schedule.

A Pakistani delegation also went to the mausoleum of Hazrat Bibi Zainab (RA) to pay its respects there where it was welcomed by Syrian minister for Auqaf.

Reporter Usman Javed