SIALKOT: Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Wednesday launched AirSial, Pakistan’s third private airline, introduced and to be operated by Sialkot’s business community.
Accompanied by federal ministers Hammad Azahar, Ghulam Sarwar, Advisor Razzak Dawood, SAPM Usman Dar, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar and Special Assistant to CM Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, the prime minister cut the ribbon to launch the airline which would initially only operate domestically.
With a current fleet of three Airbus A320-200s, the airline would operate flights to and from Sialkot, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar.
Known for producing sports goods particularly the world’s finest footballs, Sialkot launched the new airline after establishing the first privately owned airport in 2007, a project which was funded by the city’s business community.
Later, the prime minister, while addressing the inauguration ceremony of AirSial, said that Sialkot is going to become an even bigger export hub of Pakistan.
The premier expressed the hope that the city’s business community will run the airline like it has been running the Sialkot airport, creating a competitive environment for other airlines, including PIA, to improve their service.
He said all-out efforts are afoot to encourage the business community to help bring about a revival of industrialisation. “This will help create wealth, thereby fighting poverty and uplifting underdeveloped areas,” he added.
He said that the government’s priority is to reduce the poverty level and pay special attention to backward areas, including GB, Balochistan, and areas of Punjab and called for ‘inclusive development’ by adopting the Chinese model which pushed millions of its citizens out of poverty.
Talking about SMEs, he said that the Prime Minister Office would look into removing all bottlenecks facing SMEs.
The PM announced that the government would establish a state of the art university in Sialkot, specialising in engineering, AI and other fields.
Later, the premier will interact with the business community besides launching various development projects worth Rs17 billion under the Punjab Intermediate Cities Investment Programme (PICIP).
He will also break ground for city’s sewage system and water supply scheme costing Rs9.5 billion, inaugurate recreational parks costing Rs300 million and see to the provision of latest machinery for solid waste machinery worth Rs600 million.
