Zulfi brings back British Airways after 10-year pause

Zulfi brings back British Airways after 10-year pause
APP85-18 ISLAMABAD: December 18 - Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Textiles, Abdul Razzaq Dawood & Zulfi Bukhari Special Assistant to PM Richard Crowder, Deputy High Commissioner, British High Commission Robert Williams addressing a joint press conference. APP photo by Saeed-ul-Mulk

 

ISLAMABAD, Dec 18 (APP):Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (OP&HRD) Tuesday shared the incumbent government efforts to bring back the British Airways to home after around a ten-year break.

Addressing a news conference along with Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce, Textile and Industry, Abdul Razak Dawood, he said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had regained the confidence of foreign investors, proving Pakistan a future viable market for the world.
The SAPM, who played a key role in paving the way for British carrier’s return, said he closely worked with other stakeholders of the government for the last couple of months to translate this dream into reality.
Congratulating the nation, he said, “Credit goes to Prime Minister Imran Khan, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders for making Pakistan an attractive destination for foreign investments.”
“The British Airways, owned by a Spanish-registered International Airways Group, is likely to resume its first London Heathrow-Islamabad service on June 15, with three weekly flights by the airline’s newest long-haul aircraft, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner,” he said.
The Airlines suspended its operations in Pakistan in 2008 following a terrorist attack at a local hotel in Islamabad. Before suspending its operation in Pakistan, it was operating six flights a week from London to Islamabad.
To a query, he said Pakistani expatriates in Britain, who intend to visit the motherland next year, had started making advance bookings from British Airways.
He said the Airways was much-conservative airline which agreed to reenter Pakistan after completing its homework, saying it would send a message to the world that peace had restored in the country.
Revival of the British Airways operation was testimony of the peaceful and business-friendly environment getting roots with each passing day across the country, he added.
The stability that Pakistan had achieved due to all out efforts of the current government, was being recognized by international corporates, said and added the Airways would help Pakistan in its integration with the world especially, establishing viable travel links with North America and Europe.
He said Pakistan had conducive environment for foreign investors and “we are no longer isolated country.”
He reiterated that with visionary leadership of Imran Khan, Pakistan had become an investor-friendly country and its economic outlook would further improve in days ahead.
The British flag-carrier would intrigue rest of the world to revisit its investment policies for Pakistan in order to tap huge incentivised business potential being offered by the present PTI government.
Sharing details of his meeting with British Embassy’s officials in Pakistan, he said they agreed to further cement the bilateral ties through mutual cooperation and coordination by adopting more effective measures in future.
Responding to another query, Bukhari said the re-entry of British Airways was a first step and soon England team would play cricket here at home-ground.
He said he had formed a five-member liaison committee in OP&HRD ministry to fill the communication gap for exporting local manpower to other countries.

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