Pakistan is working on a comprehensive plan to give a new lease of life to the long-closed airports to boost regional connectivity. According to a report by The Express Tribune, the civil aviation ministry of Pakistan plans to promote regional connectivity by making all closed airports operational and reviving civil aviation assets worth billions of dollars that are lying idle in the country.
The report claims that out of the total 42 airports in Pakistan, 27 are active that includes 12 international and 15 domestic airports. Of the 27 airports, 15 are currently operating scheduled flights. Out of 10 major cities of Pakistan, only five are connected by air.
As a part of the plan, Pakistan Airways, a subsidiary of Pakistan International Airlines, will be reactivated by enabling the national airline to enter a joint venture with any foreign company.
According to the report, the objective of this project is to make air travel accessible to all Pakistanis, besides repurposing civil aviation assets worth billions of dollars, including airports that are lying idle. This includes creating employment opportunities and enhancing technical capabilities by connecting local people to the aviation industry. Besides, under the project small chartered aircraft with 20 or fewer seats will operate flights from all airports across the country and under regional connectivity, the paper said, citing documents.
Regular flights will be operated between Karachi, Turbat, Gwadar, Quetta, Larkana, Sukkur, Lahore, Peshawar, Chitral, Mianwali, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Rahim Yar Khan, and Islamabad, the report said.
Currently, in a country like Pakistan with a population of 220 million, there are only 50 commercial aircraft, which are insufficient to provide travel facilities to the large population of the country, the report added.
According to the plan, this work is expected to increase the annual gross national product by $500 to $600 million.
