Swat airport reopens after 17 years

MINGORA: The government reopened the Saidu Sharif Airport in Swat for commercial flights as the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) resumed its operation after a hiatus of 17 years on Friday.

The first flight of the PIA, PK-650, carrying passengers from Islamabad, including Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar and Federal Minister for Communication Murad Saeed landed at the airport early in the day.

Elected representatives, high-ups of divisional and district administration and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) officials welcomed the passengers at the airport.

Talking to reporters, the chief minister felicitated the people of the region on restoration of commercial flights for Swat after a gap of 17 years and said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government fulfilled another promise made with the people.

He termed the initiative of vital importance for rapid development of the region and said that it would prove to be a milestone in promoting tourism activities as well as providing employment opportunities to the local people. He said the government was taking measures to promote tourism in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He maintained that the provincial government had devised a viable plan for the purpose under which multiple development activities were underway in the province. He said the government was not only working on the development of existing tourism sites, but work was also in progress on the identification and development of new tourist spots in the province. He said that new tourism sites, including Jarogo Abshar, would soon be opened for the tourists.

Mahmood Khan stated that Swat Motorway Phase-I had been completed and opened for all types of vehicular traffic. He added that significant progress had also been made on the Phase-II of Swat Motorway project and its ground-breaking would be performed shortly.

He said that PC-1 and feasibility of Dir Motorway would also be completed soon, adding, hopefully Prime Minister Imran Khan would perform the ground-breaking of Chakdara-Chitral-Shandoor road project next month.

Officials said initially two flights a week would be operated for Swat, which would be connected with flights from Karachi and Lahore to Islamabad.

Earlier, the Chief Minister also inaugurated the Tourists Information Desk at the Saidu Sharif Airport.

Brochures, banners, posters, booklets and pamphlets about the scenic spots, roads leading to the tourist destinations, hotels, hospitals, heritage sites and restaurants were displayed by the KP tourism authorities at the airport so that the tourists and visitors could obtain the required information at the Tourists Information Desk before departing to a specific tourist attraction in Swat and rest of Malakand division.