KARACHI, Sept 30: The chairman, Pakistan Rice Exporters Association (REAP), Abdul Razak Janoo, has urged the government to arrange direct flights from Karachi to Colombo for the promotion of trade between the two countries.

He said when the commerce minister Abdul Razak Dawood is going to finalize free trade agreement with Sri Lanka during his forthcoming visit from Oct 2 to 5, 2002, it becomes more important to have direct air link between the two countries.

Janoo said without facilitating direct air flights the business community of both the countries would continue to suffer and this will adversely affect the two-way trade of both the countries.

Presently, he said the businessmen have to go Sri Lanka via Dubai where they have to wait for long hours to catch their next flight and it also costs them much higher in air tickets.