TOKYO: The Japanese Government has again rejected a Pakistani request to allow Pakistan International Airlines to fly to Tokyo via Shanghai, a spokesman for the Japanese Aviation Bureau said today [May 18].

The spokesman said the Japanese decision was conveyed to a Pakistani delegation for aviation talks here which began last Monday [May 9].

Japanese delegates had told Pakistan they could not agree to the request because Japan has not yet restored diplomatic relations with China and because Japan Airlines has no service to mainland China.

The Pakistani delegation, led by the Director-General of Civil Aviation, Mr M. A. Rauf, expressed dissatisfaction with the Japanese decision.

Japanese Government sources said the Pakistani side had suggested that Pakistan might consider retaliatory curbs on Japan Airlines if the request was not granted.

Japan and Pakistan signed a civil aviation agreement in 1961 providing for reciprocal landing rights in Tokyo and Karachi.

Whereas Pakistan had no flights directly reaching Tokyo, Japan Airlines operates twice-weekly flights to Karachi.

Pakistan is the only country in the non-Communist world that operates commercial flights to China. — Reuters

[Meanwhile in Karachi] the inaugural flight of the Iran National Airways corporation left yesterday [May 17] afternoon for Teheran with about 50 guests aboard the huge jet liner.

The guests including Mr K.M. Quaisar, a Director-General in the Foreign Office, Syed Darbar Ali Shah, the Divisional Commissioner of Karachi, Mr Saud-ur-Rehman, Director-General of the Export Promotion Bureau, Dr. and Mrs. Mohammad Ali Zacnigar, Counsellor of the Iranian Embassy, businessmen, industrialists and journalists.

As the guests of the Airlines, they will stay in Teheran and tour the interior of the country for about 10 days before returning home.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2016