950827

PATA AGM told

PIA to extend

chopper service

to Northern Areas

KARACHI: PIA will soon extend its helicopter service to Kalam, Kaghan and Naran in the Northern Areas of Pakistan to boost tourism in the country, Air Vice Marshal Farooq Umar, Managing Director PIA said.

Speaking at the Annual General Meeting of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Pakistan Chapter, here recently he recalled that with the help of the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation Authority, a helicopter service was started between Islamabad and Abbottabad and later extended to Peshawar.

In this connection, he said, PIA had already built a helipad at Abbotabad and is constructing on other site in the Northern Areas within shortest possible time. Plans were also afoot to start a chopper service to Sialkot and Gujranwala, he added.

Recalling national airline's services in promoting tourism in the country, AVM Farooq Umar said that air safari has now become a weekly service instead of a fortnightly event.

He said that German and Japanese tourists in particular had evinced a keen response towards this flight. He said that plans had also been chalked out for a unique "moonlit safari" which will be introduced shortly.

He said that the national airline had already launched pilgrims flights through Amman to Iraq whose scope will be subsequently enlarged further.

The AGM of PATA re-elected AVM Farooq Umar as its Chairman for the second consecutive time. Khawar Ayaz of the Ministry of Tourism was elected Vice Chairman, Zia J. Shirazee as Secretary and Riaz A. Khan as Treasurer.