Turkish Airlines to expand operations in Pakistan
PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
Turkish Airlines is planning to extend its operations in Pakistan to provide the best services to businessmen and the public at large, announced the airline’s General Manager Islamabad and North Ali Battal.
During his visit to the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Battal said that the airline was connecting Pakistan with different countries, which would help deepen bilateral ties between Pakistan and Turkey.
He assured the business community that the Turkish Airlines would facilitate ICCI delegations during their foreign business tours, adding that Turkey and Pakistan were brotherly countries based on common religion and culture. Speaking on the occasion, ICCI President Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari said that close cooperation between Pakistan and Turkey was vital for boosting trade between the two sides.
He underlined the importance of direct air links in promoting business and people-to-people connectivity and praised the initiative of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Turkish Airlines to sign a code-sharing agreement on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
“This will enable Pakistani passengers to fly to Europe, the UK and the US from Istanbul, aiding the business community in their efforts to access these markets.”
Turkish Airlines serves 252 international destinations in 122 countries while Pakistan has no direct air linkages with Central Asia.
Bakhtawari proposed that Turkish Airlines should launch flights from Istanbul to the Central Asian states via Pakistan, which would enable Islamabad to improve trade ties with many countries. He asked Turkish Airlines to consider starting direct flights from Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi to different countries to facilitate the business community and the general public. “At least one flight in a week will help the business community to explore various potential markets for trade and exports.”
He also expressed the desire that Turkish Airlines should cooperate in improving the performance of PIA.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 12th, 2022.
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