Heavy rainfall and stormy weather in Karachi led to significant flight disruptions at Jinnah International Airport, including the diversion of a private flight from Islamabad back to its origin. The severe conditions also caused cancellations and delays for multiple domestic and international flights operated by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and other carriers.
A private airline flight, ER-501, from Islamabad to Karachi attempted to land twice at Jinnah International Airport but was forced to return to Islamabad International Airport due to intense weather. The pilot, prioritising passenger safety, informed travellers of the conditions and safely diverted the flight. Airport sources confirmed the aircraft landed back in Islamabad without incident.
سندھ کے مختلف اضلاع میں آئندہ 12 سے 24 گھنٹوں کے دوران شدید بارش کا امکان۔جراچی، ٹھٹھہ، سجاول، بدین، تھرپارکر، حیدرآباد، نوابشاہ، دادو، خیرپور، سکھر، گھوٹکی، لاڑکانہ، شکارپور، جیکب آباد اور کشمور متاثر ہو سکتے ہیں۔سسٹم کے اگلے 2-3 دن تک جاری رہنے کا امکان ہے۔ pic.twitter.com/IzVPIZ0NtN
— NDMA PAKISTAN (@ndmapk) August 19, 2025The heavy rainfall, which recorded up to 170 mm in areas like Gulshan-i-Hadeed, disrupted PIA operations, leading to cancellations of flights from Karachi to Quetta and Islamabad. Delays affected routes including Lahore to Karachi, Karachi to Jeddah, Karachi to Madinah, and Karachi to Najaf due to weather and passenger-related issues. PIA cancelled two scheduled flights for Wednesday morning and urged passengers to check updates via the airline’s call centre.
Read: Karachi Declares Public Holiday, School Closures Amid Heavy Rains
Other carriers faced similar challenges. Fly Jinnah’s flight 670 to Islamabad departed an hour late at 8:00 AM, while AirSial’s 7:00 AM Karachi-Islamabad flight was further delayed. PIA’s flight PK-300 to Islamabad took off 30 minutes behind schedule.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) warned of continued heavy rainfall, raising concerns about urban flooding. Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab declared a rain emergency, deploying municipal teams to manage drainage and assist residents. PIA and other airlines are closely monitoring conditions, prioritising safety while working to minimise disruptions.
