Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) marked a historic milestone by operating its first international flight between the new Gwadar International Airport and Muscat.
According to a PIA spokesperson, the inaugural flight, PK-197, carried 39 passengers and departed as planned, marking the official launch of international operations from the state-of-the-art facility, Express News reported.
To begin with, PIA will operate a weekly flight from Gwadar to Muscat, meeting growing passenger demand and strengthening regional connectivity.
Speaking on the occasion, PIA officials bid farewell to passengers at Gwadar Airport and reaffirmed the national carrier’s commitment to expand its services to meet public needs and national aspirations.
Last week, New Gwadar International Airport officially began operations on Monday, welcoming its first commercial flight which symbolized a new chapter in the country’s aviation history and a step forward in making Pakistan a hub regional connectivity.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Karachi-Gwadar flight PK-503 landed at the new state-of-the-art airport at 11:15 am.
The flight received a water salute upon arrival. The flight, carrying 46 passengers, had left Karachi at 9:50 am.
Covering 4,300 acres, the airport is Pakistan’s largest and represents an important step towards regional development.
The commencement of flights was welcomed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, Balochistan Governor Jaffar Mandokhail, Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti and others.
In a statement, Prime Minister Shehbaz termed the commissioning of Gwadar International Airport as an example of friendship between Pakistan and China and a big step towards strengthening connectivity in Pakistan as well as in the entire region.
“With the inauguration of Gwadar Airport, another milestone has been achieved: connecting Gwadar to Central and East Asia, in addition to providing a link between the Middle East and the Gulf States,” the Prime Minister said.
“Today, we move closer to 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.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony at the airport, Chief Minister Bugti termed the inauguration of Gwadar International Airport as a milestone in the development of Balochistan, which would take the province towards new paths of prosperity and economic stability.
