In contrast to most world wide countries, the Government of Pakistan has designated Karachi's airport to be the leading aviation facility in that country, instead of Islamabad International Airport, the airport located at Pakistan's capital of Islamabad.
Karachi is the hub of Pakistan International Airlines, (PIA).
In 1981, there was a hijack of a PIA plane flying from Karachi to Damascus. The plane was diverted to Kabul, where one passenger lost his life.
On September 5, 1986, Pan Am Flight 73 with 358 people on board was hijacked at while still at Karachi's runway. 22 people died in that attack.
Airlines currently serving Karachi International include: