E-Paper | October 02, 2026

Sialkot exporters to launch airline

The Newspaper's Correspondent Published
92
comments
Whatsapp Channel
Add Dawn as a trusted source
Google Preferred Source

SIALKOT: Local exporters have decided to launch a private airline with the collaboration of the Sialkot International Airport Limited (SIAL).

Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) President Fazal Jilani told newsmen here on Wednesday that the airline – Sialkot International Airline – would be formally launched within the next two weeks.

He said it would be another mega project by the local businessmen after the establishment of the airport.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

Follow Dawn Business on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.
Pakistan
92

Read more

Haider Rehman
Aug 06, 2015 09:54am
Best of luck! PIA is in ruins
Recommend 0
Jibran
Aug 06, 2015 09:55am
Kudos to private initiative!
Recommend 0
usman
Aug 06, 2015 09:56am
that would be excellent, please please please hire cabin crew on merit
Recommend 0
Iqbal Khan
Aug 06, 2015 10:07am
This is a high example of self reliance rather to trust or depend on theses status quo governments. If businessmen of each city would allow to follow suit and initiate different projects of 100% private run, those would be far better and long lasting to reduce unemployment and increase economic activities in the country.
Recommend 0
Hope
Aug 06, 2015 10:08am
In the whole world in hospitals and clinics you find Surgical instruments made in Sialkot Pakistan and world class sports wear is made here so why government failed to set an International airport there?
Recommend 0
sheraz Khan
Aug 06, 2015 10:09am
Good news
Recommend 0
Amaan
Aug 06, 2015 10:11am
Very good news indeed! I have been wondering that unlike many other countries why we do not have International flights in other big cities, excluding karachi, lahore and islamabad.
Recommend 0
SiD
Aug 06, 2015 10:17am
KUDOS! TOGETHER we rise.. divided we fall! our well wishes to the whole team!
Recommend 0
Tirah wall
Aug 06, 2015 10:18am
God news... Don't expect any good from PMLN, they are good only grabbing money for themselves.
Recommend 0
M Jamal
Aug 06, 2015 10:19am
This is how a country develops . initiatives by people lead to progress.We are proud of Sialkot business community.
Recommend 0
MAT
Aug 06, 2015 10:20am
Very well. Keep it up...
Recommend 0
Amer
Aug 06, 2015 10:25am
excellent initiative dear Sialkot men
Recommend 0
Aqeel Ahmad
Aug 06, 2015 10:26am
I hope Faisalabad businessmen take a similar decision to help Faisalabad air travel needs.
Recommend 0
Muhammad Zafar Ullah
Aug 06, 2015 10:30am
Sialkot business community have done a great job by setting up international airport. The people of Gujranwala division, AJK, Jehlum and all other surrounding areas really got huge ease in their national/ international travel and promoting their businesses. We pray for the success of upcoming airline.
Recommend 0
Z
Aug 06, 2015 10:30am
I wish it takes place of good-times-PIA while staying efficient, profitable and with great service.
Recommend 0
Fakhr
Aug 06, 2015 10:33am
Bravo - this is a very good initiative and will set examples for others
Recommend 0
Nomi
Aug 06, 2015 10:46am
Please don;t make it great people to fly with . We are hoping that this local airline will take all business from other foreign air lines , provided if they have good new planes, excellent customer services and many routes. All pakistanis will use Local Airline rather than others. All the best .
Recommend 0
M. Saeed Awan
Aug 06, 2015 10:48am
Better if entitled, 'Shair e Mashriq Airline' or any national fame leaders name.
Recommend 0
EuroStar77
Aug 06, 2015 10:50am
I remember Gujrat's (with it's large expatriate community) was approached some years back for the establishment of an airport on a 50/50 investment basis. Sialkot was approched after Gujrat turned down the offer. I guess Sialkot do not have a Chaudhary family to hold them back.
Recommend 0
Dara Singh
Aug 06, 2015 10:50am
Sialkot is a land of entrepreneurs and people with bigger brains than other parts of the country.
Recommend 0
Hashim
Aug 06, 2015 10:54am
Great initiative. I hope that business communities may come forward and launch similar initiative for the production of electricity using wind and solar energy. Even small steps in that direction will go a long way in reviving the manufacturing industry in the country, while also harnessing the vast potential in Pakistan to generate green and cheap energy.
Recommend 0
Merchant
Aug 06, 2015 10:56am
May God protect this project from the corruption of our elected lawmakers, present and past.
Recommend 0
Salman
Aug 06, 2015 11:05am
Excellent work and best wishes for future as well!
Recommend 0
Abdul Rahman Khan
Aug 06, 2015 11:15am
Well done 'mundia sialkotias'. We shouldn't expect such projects by the Nawaz Government which is more interested in transport and motorways projects where the project executors have their commission.
Recommend 0
zafar iqbal
Aug 06, 2015 11:38am
We need to hear such good news more often.
Recommend 0
Sandhu
Aug 06, 2015 11:40am
No doubt sialkot is one of the most richest and mega industrial hub of Pakistan.
Recommend 0
Muhammad Shiraz
Aug 06, 2015 11:54am
Great news!!! Keep it up and rise as "SHAHEEN OF IQBAL".
Recommend 0
a
Aug 06, 2015 11:56am
Fly to Dubai. That's what most local airlines do.
Recommend 0
Blunt Stinger
Aug 06, 2015 12:06pm
This is the way to go.
Recommend 0
Gaurav Arya
Aug 06, 2015 12:18pm
Bahut bahut mubarak aapko. Excellent initiative. The land of Faiz.
Recommend 0
Akhtar
Aug 06, 2015 12:25pm
This is showing initiative and entrepreneur ship. We need more of this.
Recommend 0
Zia
Aug 06, 2015 12:32pm
Government please keep sleeping and meanwhile private sector develops it, do create problems for them
Recommend 0
Minus One
Aug 06, 2015 12:55pm
@Amaan There are Emirates' flights from Sialkot, as well as Peshawar.
Recommend 0
dani
Aug 06, 2015 12:59pm
good step for better acivhment of goals .best of luck . i hope this collaboration provide a future benefit for both .
Recommend 0
Sajid
Aug 06, 2015 01:01pm
If Sialkot businessmen are allowed to generate their own electricity and be responsible for its distribution and revenue collection then it would prove to be another success. This would then pave the way for other big cities doing the same.
Recommend 0
Khalid Saeed
Aug 06, 2015 01:02pm
Excellent good news, this is called leading from the front. I wish all Sialkot best of luck. We are Proud of you. Sialkot Zindabad, Pakistan Zindabad.
Recommend 0
M.M.Sherazi
Aug 06, 2015 01:11pm
I traveled yesterday from Sialkot Airport, there are lot of flaws, slow staff movement, immigration staff taking strolls outside every now and then, issuing of boarding card for one person took almost 25 minutes, the spellings on the notice board guiding to Passport Control were wrongly spelled, waiting lounge did not have an allocated area for smokers. I do hope that such things shall be paid attention for improvements.
Recommend 0
True Pakistani
Aug 06, 2015 01:11pm
I wish that there should be Faislabad Airlines, Multan Airlines, Sargodha Airlines, Karachi Airlines other than Sialkot.. so we can match the world's best airline. PIA must be shut down permanently.
Recommend 0
XYZ-Indian
Aug 06, 2015 01:15pm
Think before you proceed, we have many eg where riches have become popper. Not recommend from my side.
Recommend 0
Stargazer
Aug 06, 2015 01:16pm
Singapore International Airlines SIA watchout, you have a competition coming up
Recommend 0
True Pakistani
Aug 06, 2015 01:26pm
@Khalid Saeed A project from Riyaz Ali, Mulatan is also in pipeline.. soon you will hear manyprivate airlines flourishes as in India.
Recommend 0
Ajamal
Aug 06, 2015 01:26pm
First an airport, now an airline. What for businesses should be paying the income tax?
Recommend 0
Qahoo
Aug 06, 2015 01:28pm
usually the private companies in PAKISTAN will buy JUNK planes from around the world & use them in domestic flights. This should be taken care by Pakistan Aviation. Playing with lifes of pakistanis.
Recommend 0
Zaib
Aug 06, 2015 01:28pm
We shall rise :)
Recommend 0
Shakil Ahmed Khan
Aug 06, 2015 01:29pm
Good initiative, on one side you got progressive business community and then you also get the crooks likes of Rehman Malik and Khawaja Asif from Sialkot! a real contrast
Recommend 0
Naves
Aug 06, 2015 01:29pm
Good initiative. Sialkot is the only airport in region which does not have any domestic flight. Hope SIA would provide domestic flight at least Sialkot-Karachi-Sialkot. Presently people from Sialkot have no choice but have to use Lahore for travel between Sialkot and Karachi
Recommend 0
True Pakistani
Aug 06, 2015 01:51pm
@ Minus One For your kind information Emirates service is also from Multan
Recommend 0
Sense
Aug 06, 2015 01:59pm
Please hire stewardesses who are educated and pilots that are competent and we will support you
Recommend 0
lafanga
Aug 06, 2015 02:03pm
You could come up with a better catchy name than "Sialkot International Airlines".
Recommend 0
Khalil Anwer Hassan
Aug 06, 2015 02:13pm
Bravo! Sialkot. You certainly know how not to rely on a defunct government and instead carry the load of fulfilling your needs, on your own shoulders.
Recommend 0
Fareed Hussain
Aug 06, 2015 02:17pm
Brilliant. They have developed the communication infrastructure including an airport with their own money and now the expected launch of an airline will facilitate their business and people of the area. Unlike Karachi 'banias'man who always look up at the govt expense to develop things for them, instead of 'doling' out their own penny.
Recommend 0
Naveed
Aug 06, 2015 02:18pm
Good news. Hope SIA would operate Sialkot and Karachi. Currently no domestic flights to/fm Sialkot
Recommend 0
Adi
Aug 06, 2015 02:24pm
now you all know officially why PIA has been going to down and down despite the no:1 airline of its time
Recommend 0
NoFame
Aug 06, 2015 02:24pm
Good step - all the best
Recommend 0
Good
Aug 06, 2015 02:26pm
Thank god cuz we are tired of PIA.
Recommend 0
Sajjad
Aug 06, 2015 02:29pm
ok, Its time to move to Punjab. Very good news!
Recommend 0
sana
Aug 06, 2015 02:37pm
I will fund it from my piggy bank
Recommend 0
Alpha Beta
Aug 06, 2015 02:41pm
Good luck Sialkot. That's the kind of spirit needed to achieve success.
Recommend 0
Muhammad Iqbal
Aug 06, 2015 03:05pm
After Sialkot cricket team, hockey team, now it is Sialkot airlines. Accidentally, the new ICC chief is also sialkoti mundia.
Recommend 0
Qamer
Aug 06, 2015 03:25pm
Amazing but very good news, please don't use Russian airplanes.
Recommend 0
Mirror
Aug 06, 2015 03:30pm
All the best.
Recommend 0
neo
Aug 06, 2015 03:31pm
Kudos to the Sialkot community! Pakistan runs "in spite" of govt assistance, not because of it! The "Sharif" group is only interested in propagating their own businesses' and interests'. Hence why, their rather unusual warm relations with the Indian govt despite it being widely acknowledged both countries going through a tumultuous period. PIA is being deliberately run into the ground, so it can be sold off and kick backs can be earned by PMLN......
Recommend 0
Zeeshan
Aug 06, 2015 03:33pm
Amoung all the chaos in Pakistan, Sialkot seems to be living on another planet! Great going!
Recommend 0
Adnan
Aug 06, 2015 03:54pm
Good initiative and we citizens have to do things at our own.
Recommend 0
Jatt
Aug 06, 2015 04:08pm
Good news
Recommend 0
Reader
Aug 06, 2015 04:14pm
The name 'Sialkot International Airline' gives the impression that sialkot is a separate country. The name should be more neutral.
Recommend 0
Azhar Malik
Aug 06, 2015 04:28pm
It means that our country's economy is improving and so business and exports of Sialkot. In such situations role of private sector increases which is every where more efficient than public sector. Sialkoties are very talented people with entrepreneurial abilities and the city is a stronghold of PMLn which is a progressive party not believing in bigger government role.
Recommend 0
Passion
Aug 06, 2015 04:58pm
Keep it up guys !
Recommend 0
cmh
Aug 06, 2015 05:36pm
Good news sialkoti mundyo! At least travellers will get a better choice than PIA.
Recommend 0
Mirza
Aug 06, 2015 05:45pm
Good efforts by Sialkot business men. Faisalabad, Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat and Karachi are business hub too but but Sialkot surpassed all.... Good luck
Recommend 0
malick
Aug 06, 2015 06:31pm
Sialkot # 1. Next Sialkot to own Border force to retaliate Indian force.
Recommend 0
Z
Aug 06, 2015 07:17pm
@usman " hire cabin crew on merit why not all hiring be on merit?
Recommend 0
B.Ally
Aug 06, 2015 07:17pm
Three ceres for Sialkot. That's entrepreneurship.
Recommend 0
Z
Aug 06, 2015 07:18pm
@Amaan There is not enough traffic my dear. JFK has 2 flights every minute!
Recommend 0
Seedoo
Aug 06, 2015 07:47pm
Sialkot industry is classic example of what happens when he government stays out and lets private business people run the businesses. It is not the government's job to run industries. We have seen in our own country many such examples where government run industries such as PIA, Railways, Steel Mills, lay in ruins.
Recommend 0
Qasim
Aug 06, 2015 07:51pm
That's a great news indeed. Self reliance is the key to success. Setting example for others to follow. Hopefully this will be another success after Sialkot Dry Port and Sialkot International Airport.
Recommend 0
Ridwan
Aug 06, 2015 08:11pm
Look how entrepreneurial this country is! As Forbes noted, 90% of pakistanis are employed in small and medium size enterprises, making pakistan one of the most entrepreneurial countries in the world.
Recommend 0
Hafiz
Aug 06, 2015 08:40pm
Proud of you....
Recommend 0
Afzal Mir
Aug 06, 2015 09:05pm
Congratulations to the people of Sialkot. One caution. Please dot not let any body from PML N or PIA to get in the management. They will ruin it.
Recommend 0
ASIF .M. KHAN
Aug 06, 2015 10:36pm
Well done. It is a necessity of Sial kot business men. Next projects will be Sialkot own electric power plant. Sial kot university, Sial kot museum.
Recommend 0
rehan
Aug 07, 2015 12:01am
When the govt is inept, inefficient and corrupt the vacuum created will naturally be filled by private organizations. But this cant go on everywhere in the country. Govt please wake up and perform your duties.
Recommend 0
pak47
Aug 07, 2015 02:53am
Airlines should be privatized. This is a new economic age.
Recommend 0
rana1
Aug 07, 2015 04:39am
@Afzal Mir .....FYI almost all businessmen from punjab support NS
Recommend 0
rana1
Aug 07, 2015 04:43am
@Qahoo ....i agree,most of these businessmen are greedy.Can government investigate how they can finance such projects,also why a certain few are rich(and continue to be rich) while majority grow poor?did they pay taxes?
Recommend 0
rana1
Aug 07, 2015 04:47am
@Zia .......first government must ensure that planes bought are very new,also investigate who else from outside is investing with these greedy entrepreneurs
Recommend 0
BNS
Aug 07, 2015 06:53am
Great initiative. Keep up the good work.
Recommend 0
Rafaqat Chaudhary
Aug 07, 2015 02:23pm
Great news. I'm sure they will succeed as they have the will and ability and have a also great track record in the shape of SIAL. However, I think they will be better off buying Shaheen Air and making SIAL its hub instead of setting up a new airline from scratch.
Recommend 0
aslam shaikh
Aug 08, 2015 02:18am
Wait a year and Mr. AZ will become 50% owner of it. And we all know how.
Recommend 0
Syed Ali
Aug 08, 2015 09:52am
Well done; this is the model that rest of the country should follow; instead of relying on government to create jobs; private sector should use the template so successful in Sialkot. Well done.
Recommend 0
Azhar
Aug 08, 2015 05:54pm
It is a good idea, our country men are dying at Sialkot border due to Indian shelling, if you are rich businessmen, do you have voice? What plan you have? Open a top class university.
Recommend 0
Pak Patriot
Aug 08, 2015 06:38pm
Sialkot International Airlines should look at B737 A/C to fly to the gulf countries. This aircraft is great for the duration of the flight and cargo transportation. An economical option.
Recommend 0
naeem ahmed
Aug 08, 2015 11:56pm
very good chosing to sial air line of sialkt exporters
Recommend 0

Most Popular

01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09

Latest Stories

Opinion

Editorial

Risks ahead
Updated 02 Oct, 2026

Risks ahead

To think that the government would rather push out an elected government than grant a single prisoner some facilities does not square up rationally.
Exit from Iraq
02 Oct, 2026

Exit from Iraq

AMERICAN and British troops have once again shipped out of Iraq. On Wednesday, the foreign forces left the Arab...
Lahore’s ozone warning
02 Oct, 2026

Lahore’s ozone warning

LAHORE has received another warning that its air pollution crisis cannot be treated as a problem that begins with...
Fixing bond markets
Updated 01 Oct, 2026

Fixing bond markets

Pension funds, insurance companies, mutual funds, retail investors, and eventually, foreign investors must become bigger participants in the market.
Call centre rackets
01 Oct, 2026

Call centre rackets

A NUMBER of recent raids conducted by the authorities in different cities point to the growing threat fraudulent ...
Homeward bound
01 Oct, 2026

Homeward bound

FIVE months after Somali pirates captured an oil tanker carrying a 19-member multinational crew, Somali maritime...
Dawn News English Podcasts
Subscribe