ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan said on Thursday that the country’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had suffered a loss of Rs8.5 billion due to the airspace restrictions since February 2019 when India and Pakistan found themselves on the brink of war and fought a brief dogfight above the disputed Kashmir region.
Addressing a news conference in Karachi, Khan said Indian aviation had incurred greater losses, adding: “At this juncture, détente and harmony are required from both sides.”
This is the first time Pakistani authorities have shared the cost of the airspace closure. Previously, officials refused to share the information with media representatives, describing it as confidential.
The minister said it was his government’s priority to revamp the Pakistan International Airlines and increase its fleet to 45 by phasing in 14 new aircrafts by 2025.
He noted that the country’s domestic airlines did not find enough space to expand their operations previously due to the open sky policy, adding that the current administration wanted to introduce a fair sky policy that offered equal opportunity to domestic air operators to grow their business.
“In this regard, all of the Air Services Agreements with other countries will be reviewed in the interest of Pakistan,” he said.
The minister also expressed his pleasure on the resumption of British Airways flights, saying many other international airlines were also interested in launching their operations in Pakistan.
Responding to a question, he said that no Pakistani airport was being handed over to Qatar, and such reports were only based on speculation.
Pakistan suffered Rs8.5 bn due to airspace closure, says minister
Pakistan suffered Rs8.5 bn due to airspace closure, says minister
- Islamabad to adopt ‘fair sky policy’ to help domestic airlines
- Air services agreements with other countries will be reviewed in Pakistan's interest
Punjab expands Pakistan-India Wagah border arena with museum, partition-themed park
- The border crossing, near eastern city of Lahore, is the primary land route between Pakistan and India and one of the most recognizable symbols of their often-tense relations
- The site is best known for its daily flag-lowering ceremony, a choreographed military ritual performed by border forces from both countries that draws thousands of spectators
ISLAMABAD: Maryam Nawaz, chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province, on Thursday inaugurated the newly constructed arena at Wagah border cross between Pakistan and India, which includes a museum and a partition themed park.
The Wagah border crossing, located near the eastern city of Lahore, is the primary land route between Pakistan and India and one of the most recognizable symbols of the often-tense relationship between the two neighbors. It serves as a key point for prisoner exchanges and limited movement of travelers, while remaining tightly regulated due to security considerations.
The site is best known for its daily flag-lowering ceremony, a choreographed military ritual performed by border forces from both countries that draws thousands of spectators. Over the years, the ceremony has evolved into a popular tourist attraction, blending displays of nationalism with public spectacle and making it one of Pakistan’s most visited landmarks, which connects with India’s Attari.
Flanked by military officials, CM Nawaz visited the crossing and inaugurated the new arena, with its seating capacity increased from 7,500 to 25,000 spectators, the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported. The chief minister also visited the martyrs’ monument and offered her respects.
“In addition to the arena’s expansion, several new constructions have been added at the Joint Check Post Wagah. These new developments include a theme park depicting the partition of the Subcontinent, featuring models of a railway station, military equipment and a Martyrs’ Memorial,” the broadcaster reported.
“A Pakistan Museum has also been established within the arena, showcasing the country’s history and culture from the Freedom Movement to the present day.”
In August 1947, Britain divided the Indian Sub-continent, its former colony, into two countries — Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan.
Excitement over independence was quickly overshadowed by some of the worst bloodletting that left up to 1 million people dead as gangs of Hindus and Muslims slaughtered each other.
Creating two independent nations also tore apart millions of Hindu and Muslim families in one of the world’s largest peacetime migrations, which displaced at least 15 million people.
The fate of Kashmir, then a princely state, was left undecided. The Himalayan territory continues to remain a flashpoint in relations between the neighbors, who have fought multiple wars over it.
