The fist passenger flight of Pakistan International Airline (PIA), PK-396, with 118 passengers landed at the newly-constructed Sialkot International Airport on Friday. The Senior Vice President Flight Service PIA, Salah-ud-Din and Shahid Latif General Manager Cargo PIA also accompanied the passengers.
Khawar Anwar Khawaja, Chief Executive Officer Sialkot Airport, Mian Muhammad Riaz Ex- Chairman Task Force and former provincial Industries minister, Muhammad Ajmal Cheema, District Nazim Muhammad Akmal Cheema, District Coordination Officer Sialkot Captain Ata Muhammad (Rtd) and member of the business community received the passengers at the airport.
On this occasion a simple but impressive ceremony was held in connection with the arrival of first commercial flight at the airport. Addressing the ceremony, Khawar Anwar Khawaja thanks the President Pervez Musharraf for extending full cooperation to the business community of Sialkot for fulfilling the dream of airport in this export-oriented city and hub of cottage industry of the country.
He said that early next year PIA would start more flights from Sialkot Airport to different destinations besides, Hajj flights, direct flights for Dubai, Mascot and United Kingdom.
Senior Vice President Flight Service PIA said that National Airline would expand its sphere of flights including international flights from first ever airport established by the private sector of Sialkot.
The SVP Flight Services PIA lauded the efforts of the business community of this export-oriented city and hub of cottage industry of the country for showing commitment and unity on the mega project of Sialkot International Airport.
The business community especially the exporters of the area had always patronised the national carrier (PIA) and hopefully they would extend their full support and cooperation for making PIA successful and enabling it to operate more flights from Sialkot, he said.
It may be mentioned that mega project of Sialkot International Airport has been completed at a cost of Rs 2.6 billion has a great significance because it was totally financed by the private sector and so far private sector had not built a project of this magnitude and size in the country even in South Asia.
This modern and professionally designed airport had been undertaken on Build, Own and Operate basis and has been developed over 1050 acres of land and fully equipped for handling B 747-400, A300 and 737 aircrafts. The potential traffic forecast for Sialkot international Airport is scaled down at the time of opening 530339 passengers a year, while estimated cargo tonnage at the time of opening is expected to be 28515 tons. This means that by the end of year 2012 about 53,000 tons of cargo will be lifted from Sialkot airport.
Most modern apron having the parking capacity for six wide-bodies aircrafts or three airbus plus F-27 aircrafts had been constructed at the airport. Besides, 3600 meter long, 45 meter wide taxiway had been constructed while longest international stand runway of the country measuring 3.6 KM has been constructed which will cater the requirements of all aircrafts used for international and domestic cargo and passenger traffic.