KARACHI: Federal Minister for Privatisation and Aviation Mohammed­ Mian Soomro has said that six to eight foreign airlines are interested in launching their operation from Pakistan.

Talking to the media after planting a sapling at Karachi airport on Monday, he said that Air France, Norwegian Air and a Saudi airline were among those carriers which intended to begin their operation in Pakistan.

He said that because of providing ease of doing business foreign airlines wanted to start operations in Pakistan and talks were continuing with them.

The minister said that the new aviation policy had been sent to the federal cabinet for its approval.

“The new policy aims at sustainable growth in the aviation sector by rationalising charges levied on operators by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and by offering them more incentives to ensure healthy competition for providing more relief to passengers,” he added. He said that in the new policy the rationalisation of different financial charges to airlines would attract investors to start domestic airlines in Pakistan. This would significantly contribute to the country’s economic growth, he added.

According to a press release, the CAA’s one-employee-one-tree plantation campaign is continuing at all airports in line with the clean and green Pakistan programme of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Only at Karachi airport, 100,000 saplings of various indigenous species and fruits would be planted during the current year.

Senior CAA officials, including deputy directors general Khawar Ghayas and Air Commodore Syed Nasir Raza Hamdani and Airport Manager Zafar Aitemad were also present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2019