Bahrain’s Gulf Air has announced plans to launch services on its fifth route to Pakistan early next year.

The airline said in a statement that flights to Sialkot are scheduled to begin on January 17, with two flights per week.

Gulf Air will operate flights to Sialkot on Tuesdays and Fridays with an Airbus A320 aircraft, it added.

Gulf Air’s acting chief commercial officer, Ahmed Janahi, said: “Pakistan is a key longstanding market for Gulf Air and is one of our most successful destinations.

“The recent 30 percent frequency increase in our flights to Pakistan, spread across our network in the country – Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar – has been positively received by our passengers,  as reflected by strong bookings.

“Therefore, the decision was taken to further strengthen our operations to the country by the addition of a fifth destination – Sialkot.”

He said the airline remains committed to proactively leveraging opportunities to “strengthen its network through identifying niche opportunities”.