BEIJING, Jun 16 (ABC): Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will operate its weekly commercial passenger flights between Islamabad and Chengdu, the capital of China’s Sichuan province from July 6.
In this regard, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has accorded a formal approval to PIA to operate its flights on Islamabad-Chengdu route in addition to Islamabad-Xi’an section, well informed sources told APP here on Thursday.
The final decision on resumption of direct flights between Pakistan and China operated by PIA was taken at a meeting between Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and China’s State Councilor, Wang Yi held in Guangzhou, China last month.
The two leaders also agreed on the increase of direct flights between the two countries according to the development of the epidemic.
The national carrier has already resumed its weekly passenger flights on Islamabad-
Xi’an and Beijing-Islamabad route from June 11 after a gap of around six months.
PIA flight PK-854 brought 240 passengers Islamabad International Airport to Xian Xinyang International airport on Saturday afternoon.
The members of Pakistani community in China have expressed happiness over resumption of flights between Pakistan and China.
Ali Imran, a Pakistani scholar said that Pakistani passengers wishing to travel to China were facing hardships as there were a few direct flights operated by other airlines.
With the resumption o PIA flights, the passengers travelling between the two friendly countries especially Pakistanis will be greatly benefited.
The resumption of flights will also help enhance people to people exchanges, he added.
In addition to Pakistanis, the Chinese businessmen and engineers and workers of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects could also take benefit from PIA flights.
PIA suspended its flight operation between Pakistan and China in December last year after the closure of Xian airport following the Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control measures imposed by the Chinese authorities.