GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan Supreme Appellate Court has directed Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Civil Aviation Authority (ACC) to start flight operations between Gilgit and Skardu airports on urgent basis.

The court also served show case notice on two private airlines -- Shaheen Air and Airblue -- for not appearing for the hearing of suo motu notice taken by the court over not operating flights between Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan.

During hearing of the case in Supreme Appellate Court registry branch Skardu on Tuesday, a division bench comprising Chief Judge Rana Muhammad Shamim and justice Raja Jalaludin observed that flight service between Gilgit and Skardu airports remained non-operational despite the directives of the court.

The court showed annoyance over noncompliance of its order, issued earlier this year. The bench ordered PIA and ACC authorities to submit reply about flight service schedule between the two cities till next hearing.

The manager of Skardu Airport and Civil Aviation Authority representative Obaidur Rehman Abbasi told the court that passengers were not available for flights between Skardu and Gilgit therefore PIA could not start air service.

The chief judge observed that it was up to PIA to create awareness among people and facilitate people to travel through the flights.

Published in Dawn October 1st, 2015

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