ACCORDING to a news item (Nov 14), PIA Managing Director Ejaz Haroon has announced that the airline would soon start direct passenger and cargo flights to European destinations from Sialkot International Airport.

“There is a great scope for bangles, powerloom goods and footwear manufactured in Hyderabad in UK markets,” said UK's Deputy High Commissioner Robert W. Gibson during a meeting with the district Nazim, Hyderabad, Kanwer Naveed Jamil, at his office (Nov 19).

Local potters of Hyderabad also manufacture pottery comparable to that of 'Stoke-on-Trent-Town of Peak District of UK”. Their pottery items can easily gain scope in UK markets.

Bangles made in Hyderabad are quite popular all over Pakistan and are also exported to various countries of the world via Karachi.

Mangoes are another export product of Hyderabad and are grown on at least one million acres all over Sindh.

Therefore, I request the PIA managing director and the district nazim of Hyderabad to hold an urgent meeting for starting direct passenger and cargo flights to Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and other major cities of Europe and South Asia from Hyderabad airport.

These flights will also decrease the expenditure spent on pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia.

ZULFIQAR KHAKI
Hyderabad