Tashkent-Islamabad: Chambers, business leaders hail direct flight

ISLAMABAD: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) leadership and Chamber of Commerce’s on Sunday felicitated the commencing of direct flight between the capital cities of Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

The direct air link between Tashkent and Islamabad would prove to be a milestone in forging bilateral business and economic integration with Uzbekistan and other Central Asian states, Senior Vice President of FPCCI ZAKI AIJAZ told APP here.

The FPCCI leader said the direct flights between Tashkent and Islamabad would increase the possibilities of economic cooperation between the two regional countries and two flights in a week from Tashkent, the industrial hub of Uzbekistan, to Islamabad, would help enhance economic activities between both sides.

He said Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Pakistan, H.E Alisher Tukhtaev , deserved appreciation for playing an important role in the launch of a direct air link between the two brotherly countries.

Karachi Chamber of Commerce (KCCI) President, Muhammad Jawed Bilwani said with the start of direct flights between Tashkent and Islamabad the economic relations between the two countries would increase in the coming future.

Bilwani said the business community of Karachi considered that the step would have a huge impact on economic and trade ties between Pakistan and Uzbekistan and Central Asian states.

Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry President, Mian Abuzar Sha said Uzbekistan is a significant Central Asian States in Central Asia and the direct flights between Islamabad and Tashkent would strengthen business relations between the two countries and all the credit in that regard to Ambassador Alisher Tukhtaev.

The President LCCI said that this is the second direct flight between the two countries, after the biweekly direct flights started between Tashkent and Lahore in this year, which is significant for regional connectivity.

In addition to the new Islamabad route, Uzbekistan Airways currently operates biweekly direct flights to Lahore on Wednesdays and Fridays is a milestone in the history of both nations.

President of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Rehan Naseem Bharara said besides trade relations, the direct flight link would also help in enhancing tourism and cultural ties between Uzbekistan and Pakistan. President FCCI said his chamber hailed the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Islamabad for commencing direct flights between both of the capital cities and also including its national airline Uzbekistan Airways.

President of Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ayub Mariani termed the commencing of Tashkent and Islamabad direct flights an important development for promoting regional economic integration.

President QCCI said such direct flights should be started between major cities of the two countries, including Quetta which had a historical connection with Central Asian states.