DERA GHAZI KHAN, May 6: Social and business circles here demanded restoration of stopover of Quetta-bound flights which were terminated about two years ago.

They said the flights were a great convenience for the people of the area. But the flights were discontinued due to reasons best known to the PIA bosses. The flights were a success as majority of population in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts comprised on Baloch tribes.

They said the PIA flight would provide an opportunity to those who wanted to board Mashad-bound flight from Quetta.

They also demanded that Dubai-bound flights should be started from Dera Ghazi Khan because a large number of residents of the area were employed in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.

Tariq Ismail of Dera Ghazi Khan Chamber of Commerce and Industry told Dawn that with the restoration of stopover at Dera business activity would enhance.

PIA is operating three flights on Lahore-Quetta sector.

SERAIKI MELA: The speakers at the third Seraiki Jhoke Mela said they will protest if the Seraiki belt was not provided irrigation water from Kachhi Canal.

The demand was voiced on the occasion of cultural festival (Mela) held here on Monday. The mela was presided over by Zahoor Dhareeja.

They also demanded that the representatives of Seraiki belt should be included in IRSA.

Seraikistan Qaumi Movement chairman Hameed Asghar Shaheen said they would never accept any water accord which would ignore the Seraiki belt.

He said the distribution of water had become the worst problem but the rulers were not serious to resolve it.

Dera DCO Saqib Aleem said the government was taking serious measures for the uplift of the whole area.

The participants adopted a resolution demanding a Seraiki province, a TV station at Multan, construction of a bridge at Nishter Ghat near Kot Mithan, a cadet and medical college at Dera Ghazi Khan, and royalty of uranium, gas, stone and oil.

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