A new private airline, South Air, has announced the launch of regular flights to Dera Ismail Khan and plans to start services to Chitral and other major cities, aiming to improve air connectivity, boost tourism and promote economic activity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The announcement was made during a meeting between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and a South Air delegation led by the airline's Chief Executive Kanwar Muhammad Tariq at the Governor House here on Monday.

The delegation also included Chief Adviser Sohail Ali Khan and General Manager (Retd.) Major Tariq Mahmood.During the meeting, both sides discussed the promotion of air connectivity in the province, the launch of new flight routes and opportunities for tourism and business development. Welcoming the proposed flights to Dera Ismail Khan and Chitral, Governor Kundi assured the airline of full cooperation and support.He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was one of Pakistan's leading tourist destinations, but several important areas still lacked adequate air services.

The Governor said he had recently visited Dera Ismail Khan Airport and directed the relevant authorities to take necessary measures for making it fully operational.He added that Chitral Airport was already fully functional, while other airports in the province would also be activated in phases. Kundi said the introduction of new flights from Peshawar to Karachi, Lahore and Quetta would strengthen economic activity in the province and create fresh opportunities for employment, tourism and trade. He expressed confidence that South Air's operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would prove successful.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)