ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday asked to improve services at airports across Pakistan to facilitate passengers, tourists, and overseas Pakistanis, Sharif’s office said, amid the country’s efforts to boost tourism.
The prime minister gave the directives while presiding over a meeting with regard to the introduction of reforms in the country’s aviation sector, according to a statement issued by Sharif’s office.
In order to promote tourism, Sharif directed authorities to ensure the provision of best facilities for passengers at the Skardu International airport, days after the South Asian country relaxed its visa policy.
“The prime minister ordered to operate more counters in order to save passengers of international flights from waiting for long,” Sharif’s office said. “He further instructed to devise a comprehensive framework related to the extension of Skardu International and Gilgit airports.”
The two airports are located in Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region, which is home to scenic valleys and five of the world’s 14 mountains above 8,000 meters, including K2. More than 8,900 foreigners visited the remote Gilgit-Baltistan region in 2023, according to official figures from the government, where the summer climbing season runs from early June to late August.
The South Asian country has other major tourist attractions in several other cities and towns across its length and breadth.
During the meeting, officials briefed Sharif that the airport management authority and the civil aviation authority had been separated to ensure “efficient performance” of duties of operator and regulator under the aviation act.
The number of counters had been increased at the Lahore airport and an existing waiting room had also been expanded for the convenience of passengers, according to officials. Work on feasibility report for the expansion of Skardu airport was due to start soon.
The prime minister expressed his satisfaction over the measures and said additional facilities would also be available to passengers.
Pakistan this month increased the number of countries exempt from visa fees to 126, while it announced on-arrival visas from businessmen from the Gulf nations, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said on August 13 that people visiting from any of the 126 countries will merely have to fill out a one-page form consisting of 30 questions within a ten-minute process. Visa would be issued directly on the phone through which the form was filled and would be valid for three months apart from also being renewable, he added.
The new visa policy also included religious tourism due to which Sikh pilgrims could easily visit the South Asian country for their religious festivals, according to the minister.