Turkish Airlines starting two more flights from Karachi: grand Turkish festival from February 19

With Turkey organising a grand cultural festival in this metropolis, Turkish Airlines (TA) is going to start two daily flights from Karachi to Turkey later this month. Also, the Board of Turkish Airlines is "evaluating", as TA General Manager Fatih Atacan Temel put it, the start of passenger and cargo flights from Sialkot and Multan.
"Turkey and Pakistan share a common cultural heritage that brings both countries closer to celebrate art, culture, trade and tourism," Consul General of Turkey Murat M. Onart told reporters here at Port Grand on Friday. Others present on the occasion were TA's Fatih, CEO Port Grand Shahid Firoz and Halil Bas of STM. This is the very reason Consulate General of Turkey along with TA and some of the major Turkish enterprises have decided to host a Grand Turkish Festival in this metropolis from 19th to 21st February from 5pm onwards.
Onart said the event would enable Karachiites to experience the diverse and rich Turkish cultural heritage. The Consul General said as a sequel to the many successful events held at Port Grand, the Consulate General of Turkey had chosen the scenic venue to host the Turkish Festival. Consequently, he said, Karachi, the city of lights, would witness a three-day festival everyday from 5pm to past midnight.
"Port Grand would be dressed in great Turkish themes, with spectacular performances and exhibits that will be enabled by a large contingent of artists, performers and culinary specialists all specially flown in from Turkey to mesmerise the audience," said Onart. The Consul General said special troupe would be flown all the way from Turkey, performing live in the midst of music, art, dance, food and entertainment with lots of shopping options at the grand festival.
General Manager TA Fatih announced that his airlines, celebrating its 35th Anniversary, would be starting two daily flights from Karachi to Turkey in the last week of February. He also announced the chance to win two return air tickets a day, six tickets in three days, for the visitors of the Grand Turkish Festival.
Fatih, while highlighting the growing relationship between Turkey and Pakistan, said it was resulting in a substantially expanding traffic between the two countries for tourists and business. "The two flights would be a quality alternative for the people who are looking for new destinations," the TA official told Business Recorder on sideline of the briefing. Seeing a huge potential in Pakistani market, Fatih recalled that last year his Airline flew about 10,000 people from Karachi to Istanbul. "With the launch of two new flights we are expecting more load."
Not much upbeat about Multan, the manager said Sialkot, one of country's noted centers for exportable goods, was likely to be approved by his company's board for daily flights especially the cargo ones. The export goods Turkish Airline carries from Pakistan include mangoes, textile, pharmaceuticals and industrial machinery.
Consul General Onart welcomed the proposed Car Rally from Karachi via Iran to Turkey being planned by Pakistani Adventure Lovers. He said Pakistan to Turkey Friendship Drive would further strengthen good relations and promote tourism between Pakistan and Turkey. During the festival, the performances would take place on 10 different stages throughout the one kilometer expanse of Port Grand, in the midst of Turkish food, delights, beverages, jewellery, carpets, ceramics, lamps and many other artifacts on display and sale.
Considering the scale of this event as well as its uniqueness, we are expecting over 60,000 people to experience this extravaganza, amid the usual safety, security and beauty of Port Grand, said Shahid Firoz, chief executive officer of Port Grand. Very thematically dressed, Port Grand would come to life with superb and exclusive street and stage performances. Each night, will conclude with various lucky draws including Air Tickets to turkey on all three days and of course, the spectacular fireworks will be the daily grand finale, he added. The main sponsors of the festival include Consulate General of Turkey, TA, STM- Engineering, Technology and Consultancy and Zorlu Enerji Pakistan.