PAKISTAN: New Airlines Interested In Pakistan, Drug Smuggler Arrested

Five national and international airlines have applied for regular public transport airline license of Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to venture into the country's aviation industry.

The airlines are expected to get permission to carry out the flight operation in the country's skies during the next one year, which is likely to bring down passenger fares.

Airlines including Askari Air, Air Siyal, Go Green, Liberty Air and Afeef Zara Airways have applied for the license to be a part of the aviation industry which is expected to be around 9 percent per annum and likely to keep the same pace till 2020, according to a forecast of the International Air Transport Association, a trade body of world's airlines.

Pakistan's air traffic has soared up to 40 percent over the past five years to 20 million passengers, and is continuously witnessing an upward trend due to improvement of law and order situation in the country, which is bringing in more tourists in the country.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has also resulted in the increase of air traffic in the country.

Most of the upcoming carriers will target low-profit, far-off destinations including Gwadar, Turbat, Panjgur, Khuzdar, Dalbandin, Zhob, in Balochistan province where CPEC projects are in full swing, and the tourist destinations of Rawalakot, Skardu, Chitral, Gilgit, Bannu and Parachinar.

The destinations could generate immediate profits because of their tourism potential and work on CPEC projects.

For these remote regions, the new carriers will bring airplanes suitable for small airports.

The entry of new airlines in the country's airspace is expected to further increase challenges of the country's national flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines, which was the sole operator in most of these routes in the past.

Meanwhile, authorities at Pakistan's Islamabad International Airport arrested a Canadian national for attempting to smuggle drugs outside the country on Monday.

Officials of Pakistan's Customs said the suspected Canadian smuggler, identified as Brain, was transporting heroin and ice outside the country.

Customs officials said the ice was carefully concealed inside shoes.

The suspect was heading to Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, on a private airlines' flight, said the officials, adding that a case has been registered against him and investigations are now under way.

The seized contraband has a value of 15 million rupees (some 13,640 U.S. dollars), claimed officials.

Earlier this month, a 21-year-old Czech Republic national woman was arrested at Pakistan's eastern Lahore airport for smuggling nine kilograms of heroin out of the country.

Pakistan Customs officials apprehended the woman in the airport when she was trying to smuggle the drugs from Lahore to United Arab Emirates.


Tourism Observer

PAKISTAN: Pilot Allowed Imran Khan's Ex-Wife Reham To Sit In Cockpit, Faces Probe

The Pakistan International Airlines has initiated an inquiry against its pilot for allowing Reham Khan, ex-wife of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, to sit in the cockpit during her journey to Lahore from London.

“According to initial probe, it has been found that Reham Khan visited the cockpit for a few minutes during flight PK-788 London-Lahore on Thursday,” PIA spokesman Danial Gilani told Dawn. According to the pilot’s statement to the administration, he had ‘entertained’ the request of Reham Khan to sit in the cockpit.

Mr Gilani also confirmed that Ms Reham had expressed her desire to sit in the cockpit, which the pilot could not turn down. “Although it appears a courtesy on the part of the pilot, the PIA cannot ignore the rules,” Mr Gilani said, adding that under the law, unauthorised persons were not allowed into the cockpit.

“The responsibility lies with the pilot not to allow anyone be it a celebrity or anyone else to sit in the cockpit,” he said. “This is against the law and a safety hazard.”

“The PIA management has initiated an inquiry into the matter. It will take appropriate disciplinary action against the pilot in light of the inquiry’s findings,” the spokesman said.

PIA had to launch a formal inquiry after pictures of Reham’s sitting in the cockpit were uploaded on social media. “It was very difficult for the PIA management to ignore this matter after her pictures appeared on social media. All the guns would have been towards the PIA had it not taken action in this regard,” he said.

Interestingly, the PIA officials also accorded Reham Khan a warm welcome at the Lahore airport. Danial Gilani, however, said if someone in PIA had warmly received her at the airport in his or her individual capacity, the management did not mind.

Reham Khan could not be reached for her version despite repeated attempts.