Recent military conflicts between India and Pakistan have led to urgent evacuations of local Chinese citizens amid the sound of artillery. However, due to a large number of canceled flights, it has become difficult to purchase tickets to return home, with some direct flight tickets even soaring to nearly 20,000 yuan (RMB).
The conflict between India and Pakistan this time originated from a terrorist attack in the Kashmir region controlled by India on April 22, resulting in the deaths of 25 Indians and one Nepali. After India discovered Pakistani involvement in the terrorist group, they launched a military attack on Pakistan, igniting the flames of war between the two sides.
According to reports from mainland Chinese media, as tensions escalated between India and Pakistan, as early as April 30, local Chinese residents had received urgent notices advising them not to go out unless necessary. When the local Chinese wanted to evacuate, a large number of flights in Pakistan had already been canceled.
The city of Lahore, only 30 kilometers away from the India-Pakistan border, has become the forefront “eye of the storm” in this conflict. Mr. Wu, a businessman from Wenzhou who was stranded in the area for business, disclosed, “On May 8, I personally heard the sound of drones being shot down by anti-aircraft guns.”
Mr. Wu had originally planned to return to China by the end of May, but due to the sudden change in the situation, he attempted to purchase tickets on May 7 only to have them canceled twice. He ultimately spent 6,800 yuan to snatch up a ticket that required transfers in Karachi and Dubai. He candidly stated, “There are still a lot of variables as to whether I can return home smoothly.” Tickets back to China require multiple transfers.
Mr. Wu mentioned that the ticket prices from Pakistan to China have already doubled or even tripled. “My ticket is relatively cheaper because of the multiple transfers, costing me 6,800 yuan. Currently, tickets with fewer transfers are around 20,000 yuan. I have been to Pakistan twice before, and the usual regular ticket price is around 4,000 yuan.”
Tickets from Pakistan back to China have also become a hot topic on local Chinese social platforms. Some netizens posted requests for information: “Seeking the fastest flight route from Pakistan to China.” Some Chinese individuals mentioned that since all their flights were canceled, they are considering returning to Xinjiang Kashgar by road.
Mr. Dong and his travel companions, who went to Pakistan for a holiday during the Labor Day holiday, were originally scheduled to return on May 6, but unexpectedly, Pakistan announced the closure of its airspace for 48 hours on May 7. They were fortunate to board the last international flight back to Guangzhou before Pakistan closed its airspace.
Mr. Dong still recalls the ordeal after the fact, saying, “If any part of the process had gone wrong, we might have been stranded.”
Jinglin, a Chinese teacher settled in the capital Islamabad, mentioned that the surrounding communities have implemented light restrictions, and a colleague’s family member tragically lost their life in an airstrike.