PIA flight reaches Colombo

After a three-and-half-year gap, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has recommenced its flight operation for Sri Lanka. PIA's inaugural flight to Colombo departed on Saturday afternoon from Jinnah International Terminal and reached Bandaranaike International Airport Colombo in the evening, where Seema Elahi Baloch, High Commissioner for Pakistan, Aqeel Siqque country manager PIA and Sri Lankan high officials welcomed the passengers of the first flight.
Newly appointed PIA MD Captain Nadeem Yusuf Zai, a group of media persons, travel agents and airline officials were also on board. Talking to newsmen on arrival of PIA flight Karachi-Colombo here, Yusuf Zai said that PIA has recommenced its flight operations for Sri Lanka after three years after in closed its flights for Colombo in June 2007.
Yusuf Zai said "the national flag-carrier will operate two flights in a week - Saturday and Tuesday. Marketing department of PIA has highly recommended this route, therefore we are expecting that Karachi-Colombo will be a successful and commercial route for the airline," he said, adding that the number of flights for Colombo will increase, if needed, in future.
Pakistan High Commissioner Seema Elahi Baloch said that Sri Lanka and Pakistan have enjoyed friendly ties and the resumption of PIA flights from Karachi will help further enhance these relations and also increase people-to-people contacts. She pointed out that the bilateral trade between the two countries is to the tune of $300 million and there is scope of further enhancing it. "There exists a free trade agreement, a bilateral trade treaty as well as the avoidance of double taxation treaty between Pakistan and Sri Lanka," she added.
She said that Pakistan can export more items such as fruits, vegetables and cement to Sri Lanka and that there is also scope for the SMEs. Baloch said that the private sector could also play its role towards enhancing the trade and commercial ties between the two countries. This will also help enhance tourism as many Sri Lankans also wish to visit Taxila and other historic places in Pakistan. Earlier, a traditional candle-lighting ceremony was performed at the Colombo Airport. The Managing Director of the PIA also participated in the ceremony.