QUETTA – In a significant development for citizens of Quetta, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced the launch of direct flights from Quetta, Balochistan to Saudi Arabia.
Commencing on August 6, this new service aims to facilitate travel for Umrah pilgrims and other travelers. Regarding the frequency, PIA officials have confirmed that two weekly flights will operate between Quetta and Saudi Arabia, offering a more convenient travel option.
Previously, residents of Quetta had to rely on connecting flights through Karachi, Lahore, or Islamabad, which posed numerous challenges and inconveniences. The introduction of direct flights is expected to alleviate these issues, providing a more straightforward and efficient travel experience.
PIA management has emphasized that this new service is part of their ongoing efforts to enhance customer convenience and improve connectivity for the citizens of Quetta.
While PIA has launched direct flights to Saudi Arabia from Quetta, the national carrier is being privatized for which the bidding is expected in the first week of August.
It is to be highlighted that the decision to privatize the national carrier was made during the previous caretaker regime headed by Anwar Ul Haq for which the government had hired a consultant who had submitted a comprehensive report in this regard.
As far as the timeline is concerned, the incumbent government had reiterated to complete the process by June this year; however, the process has been delayed.
Meanwhile, the government has also decided to outsource three airports in the country i.e. Allama Iqbal International Airport, Jinnah International Airport Karachi, and Islamabad International Airport; the process to outsource the airport in Islamabad is already underway with plans to outsource the facility for 15 years.
