Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday announced that he had issued instructions for direct flights between Pakistan and the Maldives.

Addressing the Pakistan-Maldives Business Forum, attended by visiting Maldivian President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, the premier said that once the dignitary returned, a delegation of Pakistani government officials and businessmen would be sent to Malé. He said that the delegation would arrive within the next week or so.

“I want to say that connectivity is very important. We don’t have direct flights from Malé to Islamabad or Karachi so this air link is very important,” PM Shehbaz said, addressing Muizzu.

“I have already given instructions to our Ministry of Civil Aviation to prepare a quick feasibility [study], be it Pakistan International Airlines, or any other airline in Pakistan, to find the ways and means to take the first flight comprising tourists [and the] business community to Malé,” he announced.

The premier said he had been informed by President Asif Ali Zardari that he gave instructions “to his airline to work out a quick plan to start flights from [the] Maldives to Pakistan”.

“I have given instructions to our Civil Aviation Department to immediately invite a delegation from [the] Maldives and work out a plan whereby we can start these air flights between the two countries as early as possible,” PM Shehbaz added.

Calling Muizzu a “very sincere friend of Pakistan”, the premier hailed his visit as a “turning point in further strengthening our bilateral, brotherly relations” and a “game-changer in terms of promoting our bilateral trade and investment portfolios”.

“I would like to convey this message to our great entrepreneurs, traders, investors and businessmen from both [the] Maldives and Pakistan,” he added. “Here is an opportunity we can really convert into … a concrete action plan.”

Citing figures provided by Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, PM Shehbaz said that the trade volume between Islamabad and Male is approximately $13 million.

“My brother, President Dr Muizzu, on my request, readily agreed to make a firm understanding to increase our bilateral trade from $13m to $200m in the next two years, and now it’s all up to us to make use of this opportunity, do our homework and make full preparation to achieve these targets through joint efforts and very close coordination,” the prime minister stated.

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