July 25, 2008	Friday	Rajab 21, 1429

WASHINGTON, July 24: During Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s forthcoming visit to Washington, the United States and Pakistan will sign an agreement to grant non-stop flight rights to PIA, sources told Dawn.

The two countries are also expected to conclude an agreement on providing US food assistance to Pakistan to help it deal with the current food crisis, the sources said.

Pakistani lobbyists are also trying to persuade US senators to at least start formal hearing on a $15 billion aid package for Pakistan during the July 28-29 visit.

The agreement for flight rights will allow PIA to operate direct, non-stop flights to and from New York. Initially, PIA will operate one flight a week from New York to Lahore, but later it may be allowed to operate non-stop flights to Karachi as well.

In October 2002, PIA purchased eight Boeing 777 long- and extended-range aircraft after a period of 10 years of no new orders. The goal was to operate non-stop flights between Pakistani and North American cities with sizeable Pakistani populations.

PIA has already started non-stop flights from Toronto, but plans for similar flights to and from US cities could not materialise because the Department for Homeland Security refused to permit such flights.

Apparently, the Americans had no objection to direct flights from the US to Pakistan, but they refused to allow non-stop flights from Pakistan. They told Pakistani authorities that they believed Pakistan did not have adequate security arrangements at its airports to prevent terrorists from using such flights for their activities.

American officials insisted that flights originating from Pakistan must stop at an international airport for a thorough security check before proceeding to the United States.

The proposed agreement will remove this objection but before the flights begin Pakistan will have to update security arrangements at its airports.

Another agreement to be finalised during the prime minister’s visit concerns Pakistan’s request last month for 500,000 tons of wheat from the United States to help them deal with the current food crisis. While the Americans have agreed in principle to help Pakistan, it is not yet clear how much wheat they are going to give.

“It may range anywhere between 100,000 and 500,000 tons,” said a source aware of the negotiations.