Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) marked a historic milestone, since it operated its first international flight from the new Gwadar International Airport to Muscat.
According to a PIA spokesman, the inaugural flight, PK-197, transported 39 passengers and left on time, marking the official launch of the international operations of the avant-garde facilities, said Express News.
To begin with, PIA will operate a weekly flight from Gwadar to Muscat, attending to the growing demand for passengers and strengthen regional connectivity.
Speaking on the occasion, the PIA officials said goodbye to the passengers at the Gwadar airport and reaffirmed the commitment of the national airline to expand their services to meet public needs and national aspirations.
Last week, the new Gwadar International Airport formally began its operations on Monday, welcoming its first commercial flight that symbolized a new chapter in the country’s aviation history and a step forward to make Pakistan a connectivity center regional.
The Karachi-Gwadar PK-503 flight of the International Airlines of Pakistan (PIA) landed in the new latest generation airport at 11:15 am
The flight received water greeting upon arrival. The flight, which transported 46 passengers, had left Karachi at 9:50 am
Covering 4,300 acres, the airport is the largest in Pakistan and represents a significant step towards regional development.
The beginning of the flights was acclaimed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, the governor of Baluchistan, Jaffar Commandkhail, Prime Minister Sarfaraz Bugti and others.
In a statement, Prime Minister Shehbaz described the operationalization of Gwadar International Airport an example of Pakistan-China friendship and a great step forward towards strengthening connectivity within Pakistan and the entire region.
“With the inauguration of Gwadar airport, another milestone has been achieved to link Gwadar with Central Asia and Eastern Asia, in addition to providing link between the Middle East and the Gulf States,” said Prime Minister.
“Today, we have come to fulfill the joint commitment of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif for the development of Pakistan and the region through CPEC [China-Pakistan Economic Corridor]”He added.
When heading to the opening ceremony at the airport, Prime Minister Bugti described the inauguration of Gwadar International Airport in the development of Baluchistan, which would take the province to the new roads of prosperity and economic stability.
