SIALKOT, Oct 26: The PIA’s first direct flight (PK-253) took off for Abu Dhabi from the Sialkot International Airport here on Sunday.

Senior PIA officials from Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi seen off the passengers during a special ceremony held at the airport under the auspices of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Sialkot International Airport Limited (SIAL).

SIAL chairman Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry, senior vice-chairman Dr Sarfraz Bashir, general manager Muhammad Nawaz Chaudhry, Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) president Dr Khurram Anwar Khawaja, SIAL directors, local travel and cargo agents and local journalists were also present. PIA officials later told reporters that the national carrier would start direct flight between Sialkot and Muscat from Oct 29, besides starting three more international flights from Sialkot to Dubai and Riyadh and Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) shortly.

SIAL chairman Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry informed reporters that Qatar Airways had also started its cargo flights between Sialkot and Doha.

He said that Sharjah’s Arabian Airlines had also sought formal permission from the Pakistani government for starting daily flights between Sialkot and Sharjah.