Private airline South Air on Monday expressed its aim to launch flights connecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan and Chitral with the rest of the country.

The plans were announced by South Air Chairman Kanwar Muhammad Tariq during his meeting with KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi.

“We plan to operate daily flights to DI Khan,” Tariq was quoted as saying in a press release issued by the governor’s press secretary. He remarked that DI Khan was a “very important station for us”.

Tariq further said that South Air would also start regular flights to Chitral, stressing that the airline aimed to “connect small and remote areas of the country with the air network”.

Kundi also assured South Air of “every possible cooperation” for its DI Khan and Chitral flights, expressing confidence that the airline’s flights in KP would be successful, the statement added.

“South Air is starting its flight operations across the country this month,” its chairman said, affirming that the airline had completed all operational, technical and administrative preparations.

Tariq added that South Air would also operate flights from Peshawar to Karachi and Quetta, as well as daily flights from Peshawar to Lahore.

Last week, South Air launched its first trial flight service from Karachi to Gwadar, marking a key step towards improving air tra­vel facilities in the coastal region.

During Monday’s meeting, Kundi emphasised that air connectivity was “essential for promoting tourism and business” in KP, terming the province the “tourism hub of Pakistan”.

“Many important areas of KP are still deprived of aviation facilities,” Kundi lamented.

At the same time, he expressed hope that flights from Peshawar to Karachi, Lahore and Quetta would boost economic activities in the province.

“Flights of new airlines will increase employment, tourism and commercial activities in KP,” the governor said.

The meeting comes days after Kundi visited Dera Ismail Khan International Airport, where officials of the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) briefed him on the ongoing rehabilitation efforts.

Noting that the airport had been closed since 2015, Kundi said carpeting work on the runway had already been completed, while the remaining work would soon be finalised to make the airport operational.

Kundi said the proposed Green Field International Airport would be constructed over more than 1,700 acres and would have the capacity to handle over one million passengers annually.