PM Khan approves launch of new private airline from Sialkot
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Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday granted approval for the launch of a new private airline from Sialkot International Airport.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Usman Dar, AirSial Chairman Fazal Jillani and other members of the local business community met with the prime minister and Minister for Privatisation and Aviation Muhammad Mian Soomro in Sialkot, Dar told DawnNewsTV.
The airline is to be launched through cooperation with local traders and businessmen. The chairman of AirSial said the airline would become operational within the next year.
The businessmen thanked the premier for the government's assistance in the launch of the airline.
The prime minister remarked that Sialkot is fast becoming a major hub for investment and that the government would provide additional facilities to the area.
"The airline's launch will create jobs and stimulate business activity in the region," the premier said.
The business community in Sialkot in 2009, after establishing the international airport in the export hub on a self-help basis, had decided to launch the airline to provide a cheaper travelling facility to the region's traders along domestic and international routes.
The airline was to be established under the joint supervision of the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and Sialkot International Airport.
The Sialkot business community has also planned to set up a food and vegetable processing/packing centre close to the airport to boost exports.
Exporters in Sialkot, in addition to construction of the airport, have also completed the construction of a dry port, export processing zone, small industrial estates and inter-city roads on a self-help basis under the city development package.
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Comments (101) Closed
Dec 28, 2018 11:47am
that's great,
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Dec 28, 2018 11:47am
Good intiative by PTI govt.keep it up
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Dec 28, 2018 11:48am
Good venture to un-do PIA.
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Dec 28, 2018 11:51am
Great Step. It will improve PIA profitability for sure, just like British Airways operation will help PIA. i guess PTI is competing for country most disliked party.
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Dec 28, 2018 11:56am
What does the PM have to do with approving airlines?
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Dec 28, 2018 11:59am
This is considered as major approval? The airport and airlines already begun their paper work in PMLN era with grounds and other approvals like investment already granted. The positions were also already announced in PMLN era like for in finance, HR, crew members etc. Way to go that PTI now liking PMLN work.
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Dec 28, 2018 12:04pm
@JA-Australia,
Final approval for a new airline comes from where? Please educate us.
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Dec 28, 2018 12:04pm
So many rich people - just open up private air line like that!
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Dec 28, 2018 12:04pm
AirSial will give Run for their Money to Emirates
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Dec 28, 2018 12:06pm
Thanks to PMLN for allocating land for airport first and than approving the airlines way back earlier in 2018 for registrations etc. the final approval with PTI and stalwarts be like oh wow great. Its tiem to reflect that how wonderful PMLN did work from Exxon to Wolkswagon and others and many other investments that PMLN brought.
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Dec 28, 2018 12:08pm
Great move by the talented business community of the legendary city of Sialkot, Islamic Republic of Pakistan to start its own airline. Kudos to the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and Sialkot International Airport (SIA) for leading from the front and evolving an amazing "City Development Package" on self-help basis to convert the famous and historic City of Sialkot as one of the top metro areas of South Asia. Well done and keep it up.
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Dec 28, 2018 12:09pm
This is good. We need fresh airlines with new people. Pakistan has excellent people for the airline business after all most of the GCC airlines got their start and training right here by the Pakistani staff, starting with the biggest of GCC airlines Emirates.
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Dec 28, 2018 12:10pm
@Khan, It's not really a PTI initiative. Sialkot exporters are literally doing this on your own - the State has failed to the extent that local businessmen are grouping together to ensure their city succeeds.
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Dec 28, 2018 12:17pm
Very good hope fare will be reasonable compare to PIA air blue and other airlines.
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Dec 28, 2018 12:17pm
Good decision by Imran Khan. It would have been impossible to get a decision through bureaucratic channels.
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Dec 28, 2018 12:22pm
Excellent opportunity for business community to develop facilitie. They can also have shuttle service to service other cities through this airport.
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Dec 28, 2018 12:26pm
Why does the prime minister need to approve the creation of a private airline? This is not normal in other democracies.
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Dec 28, 2018 12:27pm
Good for Pakistan
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Dec 28, 2018 12:28pm
An initiative by the industry itself and building of roads etc. is the need this country can do with.
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Dec 28, 2018 12:31pm
@Fareed, these people will buy 50-years old planes - and inexperienced pilots. Safety hazard! Maybe best as cargo airline.
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Dec 28, 2018 12:40pm
While this is good step for Traders/Businessmen to have their own dedicated airline for their business related activities instead of relying on other Airlines for Cargo/Export etc, However, it will start another debate - we are likely to hear soon that Business community in Karachi and Faisalabad would be demanding to allow them to have their own Airline service.
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Dec 28, 2018 12:50pm
Good decision, but is there any airline making profit now a days?
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Dec 28, 2018 12:53pm
First good thing I have heard about investment. Let private entrepreneur run this air line and make name for Pakistan. People of Sialkot are different from other cities. I don't want to make comparison with another Pakistan industrial city that can not match the progress of Sialkot. I do not know Usman Dar or Khawaja Asif but manufacturer of Sialkot should be facilitated.in such a way that exports of Sialkot should be enhanced. Along with Sialkot people of Gujranwala, Wazirabad and Gujrat should be facilitated to enhance exports.People of these areas have the talent and potential to increase exports or for that matter build local industry. I have seen circut breakers imported from Indonesia. Such things can be manufactured in Pakistan.
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Dec 28, 2018 12:56pm
@JA-Australia,
Everything
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Dec 28, 2018 12:57pm
@Asad Mahmud,
Competition is good, and PIA are poor
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Dec 28, 2018 12:58pm
This is great initiative by Sialkot business community and it got nothing to do with any political party including PTI, PMLN or PPP. A year is too long, start this within three months as air travel business is booming and sooner to get into it is better.
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Dec 28, 2018 01:09pm
@Khan, Not PTI this was the work of Sialkot Chambers of Commerce and other investors. The initiative had been quietly moving forward for 2 or more years
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Dec 28, 2018 01:16pm
Fantastic effort Sialkot
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Dec 28, 2018 01:33pm
Sialkot as usual setting example , from international airport, dry ports, export processing zone, self help based road insfrastructure now private business commmunity funded AirSial.... good luck...
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Dec 28, 2018 01:34pm
Such patriotic investors and people from Sialkot except Khawjah Asif.
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Dec 28, 2018 01:54pm
@Khan
This is not an initiative bY PTI... it is effort of Sialkot business community..
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Dec 28, 2018 01:55pm
Well done Kaptan. People love you.
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Dec 28, 2018 02:20pm
Sound strange that Karachi's business community is not thinking about taking similar initiative.
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Dec 28, 2018 02:28pm
What planes will they have?
Ex PIA ones - if so avoid like the plague
Dry/Wet lease second hand planes - if so avoid like the plague again
New planes from Airbus / Boeiing - now we are talking !
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Dec 28, 2018 02:29pm
This is great to see that the businessmen are taking ownership of their country and if this carries on, then no one can stop Pakistan from becoming a very prosperous country. Well done Sailkot
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Dec 28, 2018 02:55pm
Already progressing so fast under PTI.
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Dec 28, 2018 02:58pm
Excellent Job Mr. Prime Minister
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Dec 28, 2018 02:59pm
Great Job
Thanks Prime Minister Imran Khan
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Dec 28, 2018 03:15pm
@ Irfan - PIA profitability down because of bad management, and excess hiring. Competition is good. As far as I am concerned if another airline gives me better service it deserves my business.
Saving unprofitable institutions should not be govts responsibility. Privatise PIA.
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Dec 28, 2018 03:20pm
@Tamza, yeah and will runaway like shaheen owners.
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Dec 28, 2018 03:23pm
@Irfan, "just like British Airways operation will help PIA".
When almost no other airline was coming here then PIA should have been the most profitable, by your logic. But it wasn't, it ran massive losses instead. Do other countries only allow their own national carriers to operate?
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Dec 28, 2018 03:24pm
@Realist, nonsense. Venture needs go ahead from gov't first.
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Dec 28, 2018 03:40pm
@Islamabad Morning, Sure. PMLN intiated many project during their tenure. Including Gas, Elec, water dams etc but how many did they actually start or complete? None. Because they were too busy eating commission from bus and train schemes in lahore. Only pti will realise peoples dreams.
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Dec 28, 2018 03:55pm
Some other airlines are under approval specially for the Northern areas destination, it will boast up tourism. Long awaited plan.
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Dec 28, 2018 04:19pm
Sialkot is a great success, leading by example of 'self-help' by its entrepreneur business community. In the absence of the central (past) government's almost zero input to the success of the city is indeed a great achievement which could be emulated by other cities and PTI is giving its blessing!
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Dec 28, 2018 04:30pm
Success of airline business is linked with the growth of overall economy without which many wouldn't have a reason to fly , a necessary ingredient for any airline to stay afloat.
Initiative by a few rich though welcome but may not translate into a success for an airline. Anyways a welcome step. Goodluck from an Indian.
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Dec 28, 2018 04:31pm
@Khan, It's NOT an initiative by the PTI government. Rather, it's a venture by the businessmen of Sialkot. It has been in the planning, groundwork phase well before the PTI government assumed office.
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Dec 28, 2018 05:04pm
@Zak, This has nothing to do with PTI. The Sialkot Business community was thriving under the PMLN who gave labd for the private airport built at Sumbrial. Since PML N was business friendly, Sialkot exports and industry has improved and this provate airile idea has been floating around for a while and has nothing to do with PTI. If anything PTI is hurting the economy and the overall market since they have no plan and are dithering on the economic front.
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Dec 28, 2018 05:17pm
@JA-Australia, Very valid question. Absurdity rules
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Dec 28, 2018 05:17pm
Must have some stake/shares in it. Everytime someone becomes a PM in Pakistan an airline is used.
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Dec 28, 2018 05:39pm
Really hope there’s no any stake of PTI’s Tareen
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Dec 28, 2018 05:43pm
@Miraaj, yes this might have been started during pmln tenure but can u give credit to PtI for seeing it through, they could have sabotaged in order to say PmLn did nothing in their term but they are honest and work for Pakistan rather than themselves - agreed?
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Dec 28, 2018 05:58pm
This airline, I assume, will lure staff from PIA, and will create healthy competition bringing down the air fares and increasing air travel within the country.
It is a new step that private investments are being directed towards this cash intensive sector.
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Dec 28, 2018 06:07pm
Great to see Government is facilitating local business community and trust business community has in current government! Love to see more this sort of initiatives!
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Dec 28, 2018 06:32pm
Hope the new airline will not do everything PIA did,
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Dec 28, 2018 06:43pm
Sialkot has another feather on cap. Sialkot had been exporting best high quality Sports goods, Surgical instruments. And many high quality sundries. Other cities delivering are Gujranwala, Gujrat, Faisalabad. Punjab as a whole is delivering highest figures in exports. There is a wrong concept that exports figures are highest from Karachi, in fact Karachi is an export house of whole Pakistan, but indirectly & ultimately the remittances went to manufacturers in Punjab. Only now the Karachi based exporters and businessmen feel a sigh of relief, after crushing the ransoms dons criminals having support from Sindh based politicians being hand in gloves with ransom criminals. There are many Cottage Industries sites in and around Karachi, but the land grabbers and corrupts in administration, never let it flourish. Now a ray of hope is seen after CJP took action against land grabbers, gradually the money launderers list is viral. Actions & Development must proceed simultaneously.
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Dec 28, 2018 06:57pm
Please fix PIA. That is government airline that is where the focus should be and not on private airlines. Government is not a private enterprise or entity.
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Dec 28, 2018 07:23pm
Well done Sialkot!
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Dec 28, 2018 07:27pm
That's awesome. Sialkot people, I am very very happy for you. And other cities can learn from this example.
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Dec 28, 2018 07:31pm
Wish the enterprising minds of scci n sia best of luck. To reach these milestones in the way of self helped projects, lot of struggle has been done over decades by the initiators n developers. One earnestly hope that caa of Pakistan, being an aeronautical authority n regulator of national civil aviation activities would extend its fullest cooperation n technical assistance. My heartfelt appreciation for scci n sia.
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Dec 28, 2018 07:35pm
Very good move by enterprising Sialkot. Self help is the way to go. If you can successfully built an Airport , you lot can built a successful Airline as well. Just copy the low cost model of any European Airline and you will be good. Also built some aviation training facility to earn some money to facilitate other programmes.
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Dec 28, 2018 07:39pm
I am very happy for Sialkot. This city has done very well given the tough circumstances that exist in the rest of the country. Best of luck. However, I don't understand what PM of Pakistan has to do with approving an airline? Does he have to approve every single business that gets started in this country?
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Dec 28, 2018 07:42pm
Everyday something new and positive from PTI .. well done all those involved in this venture!
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Dec 28, 2018 07:45pm
@Islamabad Morning, what is wrong with this govt liking something positive the previous govt was doing? Or you do just need to find fault in everyrhing that is being done by PTI? If PMLN had already laid the foundation for this good for PMLN! Even corrupt leaders have to do something positive in order to carry on thier corruption!
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Dec 28, 2018 07:47pm
@Miraaj,
Absolutely. All hail the great Nawaz. Just the way that CPEC was all PMLN or was it?
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Dec 28, 2018 08:28pm
We salute and applaud the people of Sialkot for being leaders in exports. They built the airport and are now launching an airline. Our politicians and government can learn from their extraordinary success, their vision, dedication and commitment to excellence. They have made the country proud.
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Dec 28, 2018 09:27pm
Approved. No red tap. That is how things should work.
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Dec 28, 2018 09:28pm
@Irfan, have keeping monopoly helped PIA so far. It is one of biggest drag on the nation treasury.
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Dec 28, 2018 09:30pm
Musharraf gave them airport and Imran approved this long waiting airline.
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Dec 28, 2018 09:31pm
I hope the standards set are high when it comes to the management, the people who will be working for the airline, and above all, security and safety. Since the government is assisting in this business venture, the bar needs to be set high.
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Dec 28, 2018 10:23pm
Sialkot is the Best.
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Dec 28, 2018 11:24pm
@Khan, PTI Government has nothing to do with the new airline except giving a ceremonial approval instead of the Aviation Ministry.
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Dec 28, 2018 11:54pm
Is it not the job of Civil Aviation Authority to approve new airlines charters? Why PM and the president has to get involved into this?
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Dec 28, 2018 11:57pm
Is the investment borad not functioning !!!!! Wondering PM have a lots to do....
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Dec 29, 2018 12:16am
@Asad Mahmud, PIA did to itself what no one could do
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Dec 29, 2018 01:19am
@Islamabad Morning, Troll spoil alert! What PML(N) has to do with that? Nothing.. zero. It was Gen Musharaf who allowed that project. PML(N), PPP and PTI only rode along. Actual work was done by people of Sialkot. The Sialkotis are a real example for every city of Pakistan. You can do anything if you want to do it.
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Dec 29, 2018 01:20am
@AK, Fantastic debate. In EU and US, cities and private companies have airline why not Pakistan.
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Dec 29, 2018 01:58am
@Humza, Odd, when things are bettering, its because of past corrupt governments. Business community has come out with confidence because they know, no one is going to ask for a ‘cut’ in the business. Pakistan is already thriving on a positive feeling by the populace.
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Dec 29, 2018 02:17am
@Miraaj,
What PMLN did was just to fill their own pockets, just like PPP. All has been revealed. The rest is just a mirage, an illusion!
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Dec 29, 2018 02:31am
Well done Sialkot.
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Dec 29, 2018 04:38am
Congratulations PM Khan for helping expand airport services from Sialkot. It will be a boost for business and industry. But has any government decision maker, whether military or civilian, realised that Allama Iqbal Airport and Sialkot Airports are too close to border with India. These can be shut down almost instantly in case of conflict with India.
We need a new Airport between Gujranwala,Hafizabad and Kharian to serve big population concentration linked to overseas Pakistanis
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Dec 29, 2018 05:36am
Great news
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Dec 29, 2018 06:55am
Bravo PM IK.
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Dec 29, 2018 07:21am
Good initiative.The Govt needs to take steps for inclusive development of the country & for all this peace is a pre requisite. Those indulging in activities for destabilising the country should be dealt with a heavy hand.Pakistan needs to start a new chapter of good governance & peaceful coexistance among all religious entities as also with its neighbours.
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Dec 29, 2018 08:06am
We have the ability to accomplish unbelievable tasks provided we have sincerity in our hearts and minds for moving forwad. Sialkot is poiner in initiating such projects that could prove extremely vital for both the local businesses and our country.
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Dec 29, 2018 08:35am
This is not a proud moment. Is a clear indication that there are no competent airlines to provide service and business community need to look for alternatives. SCCI must focus on developing industries and increasing efficiency rather than worrying on operation of an airline.
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Dec 29, 2018 08:57am
Business community of Sialkot is doing great job. Not only for the economic progress of thier city , but for the country too. Where are the businessman of other cities,Faisalabad, gujranwala . Sialkot is the city of Allama Iqbal, maybe this is the reason of progressive thinking
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Dec 29, 2018 09:10am
Private airlines lack scrutiny of safety standards! National carrier should be strengthened!
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Dec 29, 2018 11:14am
Government helping private companies in launching airlines while existing airlines owners were called in the courts and not allowed to work. May be PTI people airlines.
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Dec 29, 2018 12:15pm
Aviation ministry must review its policies as private airlines are reluctant to commence their operations. Actually Air Sial and Askari Air were all prepared but jad shelved their plans after fall of Shaheen Air, which failed due to malafied intentions of its foreign owners.
Even serene air is reluctant to commence its international operations.
Wake up aviation ministry before its too late
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Dec 29, 2018 06:19pm
Good move by PM Khan. Small new domesticket airports must be developed to connect all the Cities & Towns. Airtaxis can be deployed by the Govt to make travel easy for Passengers...
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Dec 29, 2018 06:20pm
@Miraaj, PMLN must have pocketed some crores by this move...
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Dec 29, 2018 06:22pm
@Khalil, Yes PMLN has also initiated unlimited Corruption
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Dec 29, 2018 06:23pm
@Omer, so what do you want the Govt to do ?. Not start any new Projects ?.
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Dec 29, 2018 09:04pm
@Miraaj, Can't help but wonder how much money PMLN members made to get the ball rolling and how many have invested in the project.
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Dec 30, 2018 04:12am
This is very unusual development.
I hope there are no nontax filers in the board of directors. A new airline requires lot of foreign exchange and heavy capital expenditures. Perhaps NAB should be asked to check them out before this gets out of control.
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Dec 30, 2018 04:38am
Starting an airline is a very capital intensive project. The financiers and sponsors better have very deep pockets and lots and lots of money. To the tune of at least 200 million dollars ..
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Dec 30, 2018 05:02am
It’s a good idea to increase economic growth in small cities , similarly it should be done in other provinces.
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Dec 30, 2018 05:09am
I hope the pilots have genuine degrees and have been vetted throughly considering the latest news about fake degrees of PIA pilots.
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Dec 30, 2018 11:07am
Who owns this private carrier
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Dec 30, 2018 01:54pm
How do you make a millionaire?. Take a Billionaire and buy him an airline.
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