Air travel across Pakistan faced major disruption on Friday as heavy rains and a thunderstorm alert in Islamabad, combined with administrative issues, led to the cancellation of eight flights and delays in 34 others.

The situation left thousands of passengers stranded for hours, many of them families, elderly citizens, and children enduring long waits at crowded airports.

Authorities issued a thunderstorm alert after heavy downpours in the capital, forcing flight cancellations on key domesti