Heavy rainfall in the federal capital and Rawalpindi on Thursday severely disrupted flight operations at Islamabad International Airport, with dozens of flights delayed or cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.
British Airways flight BK2160 was delayed by three hours, while a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight to Dubai was held back by an hour. A private airline’s flight to Karachi faced a delay of two hours. Flights to Jeddah, Doha, Dubai, Muscat, Riyadh, and Baku were also delayed by up to an hour, according to airport authorities.
As per the Islamabad airport’s official flight inquiry portal, six flights to and from the capital were cancelled. The Islamabad-Skardu route remained particularly affected, with PIA’s PK-451 and PK-452 flights, along with AirSial’s PF-121 from Karachi to Islamabad, called off.
Flight operations to Skardu were suspended throughout the day due to poor visibility and persistent rain.
Meanwhile, the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi experienced intense rainfall overnight, leading to widespread urban flooding and disruptions to daily life. Roads, including the busy Adiala Road, were submerged, causing major traffic blockages.
Nala Lai in the Katarian area recorded a water level rise to 15.7 feet, prompting alerts for low-lying areas. Rescue teams were deployed as water entered homes in several neighbourhoods.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department reported 125 mm of rainfall in Bokra, 106 mm in Sector I-12, and 97 mm in Golra. Rainfall recorded at Islamabad Airport was 61 mm, while Syedpur received 69 mm and Zero Point 22 mm.
In Rawalpindi, the highest rainfall was noted in Chaklala with 133 mm, followed by 102 mm in Kachhari, 90 mm in Gowalmandi, 80 mm in Pirodhai, and 67 mm in Shamsabad.
