PIA to start flights from Sialkot to Paris tomorrow

F.P. Report

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced to start Sialkot-Paris-Barcelona flights from Sunday.

According to the details, flight PK-720, the first flight on the new route, will arrive from Paris to Sialkot on Sunday around 12 pm. The first flight will be welcomed with water cannon salute upon arrival at the Sialkot airport.

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar will welcome the passengers at the airport. The national flag carrier’s spokesperson told the journalists that PIA’s flight, PK-720, will leave for Paris and Barcelona and the same flight will come back to Sialkot from Barcelona. He said that new flight will also help boost exports from the industrial city.

Earlier Prime Minister Imran Khan, on January 1, had directed the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) chairman to devise a comprehensive business plan to overcome losses.

Chairing a high-level meeting on reforms in PIA, the prime minister had said that the government wanted to make national flag carrier a profit-generating and independent airline.

PIA officials informed the prime minister that the total losses of PIA were Rs. 414.3bn. They had told the meeting that PIA is facing a deficit of 500 million rupees on seven international routes in addition to loss on domestic routes.