BAHAWALPUR, March 28: The first PIA 737 Boeing flight from Karachi with 39 passengers and 10 crew members landed at the upgraded Bahawalpur runway on Sunday morning.

It had been a longstanding demand of the Bahawalpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, local traders and the general public since the completion of the extended runway in December 2002. The runway was completed with the funds provided by Dubai ruler and UAE finance minister Sheikh Hamdan bin Raashid Almaktum.

To grace the occasion, BCCI president Sheikh Abbas Raza organized an impressive ceremony on the premises of Bahawalpur airport. District Nazim Tariq Cheema, the BCCI chief and PIA officials presented bouquets and sweets to the incoming and outgoing Boeing passengers and members of the crew.

Speaking on the occasion, the BCCI chief called upon the PIA management to extend the airport terminal building for the passengers and introduce the Boeing cargo service to facilitate mango traders of Bahawalpur.

PIA's Karachi general manager Salman Javed assured that he would look into BCCI's chief demands. He also expressed the hope that with the operation of PIA Boeing flights, the local cottage industry, including Cholistani handicraft, would get a boost. Tehsil Nazim Najeeb Owaisi, DIG Pervez Akbar Lodhi and others also spoke on the occasion.