The business community of Karachi has initiated the process to start new airline with the name of “Air Karachi” to provide people of Pakistan hassle free travel facilities specially living in Karachi with competitive fares. Hanif Gohar is a big name in construction business who has remained Chairman of ABAD, Senior Vice President of FPCCI has been working on this project silently for many years. For such big projects huge finances are needed. Finally, after getting firm assurances from brother business tycoons of Karachi the nation received a happy news of launching new airline. Keeping in view the downfall of PIA even otherwise there was need of another airline. Many new private air lines have sprung in recent past and doing good business like Air Blue, Fly Jinnah, Fly Dubai, Serene Air and Air Sial. Air Sial was raised by a group of business community from Sialkot and is now a reputed airline of the country. The success of Air Sial is due to better management and proper ratio between manpower and number of aircrafts and with noninterference by politicians. Karachi generates 70% revenue of Pakistan has always been placed better for new adventures. Launching of new airline by business community from Karachi has been welcomed by people of Karachi and rest of Pakistan. Karachi is lucky to have top business entrepreneur like A K Dadee, Arif Habib and Tanveer Shaikh and Gohar Group of companies. Hanif Gohar carries rich experience in businesses, has started raising 5-star hotel in Hyderabad, has built hospital in Mansera for the poor people. Hanif Gohar during his press talk gave out the plan about starting new airline. The airline has been registered with SECP, has applied for Air Operation Certificate from CAA. To start with three planes shall be acquired on lease for domestic routes, after one year 6 more planes shall be added to cover international routes. Prime Minister has appealed to Pakistanis to invest more in setting up new industries so that reliance on IMF loans is avoided. Our depleted position of foreign exchange that covers hardly one month’s import bill has further aggravated the situation. Thanks to overseas Pakistanis who are continuing to extend maximum help in ongoing financial crisis by sending more remittances through official channels. But, to overcome deep crisis Pakistan badly needs new local investors to come forward. Pakistan’s geographical importance cannot be overemphasized it provides ample opportunities to new investors to explore our potentials.
Pakistan badly needs foreign exchange and the two main sources are our exports and aviation sector. Aviation sector’s contribution estimated $2 billion of GDP. Spending by foreign tourists supports a further US $ 1.3 billion of the country’s GDP totaling $ US 3.3 billion. In total,1 % of the country’s GDP is supported by inputs to the air transport sector and foreign tourists arriving by air. It was result of wrong policies that has mainly been responsible in lowering revenue in aviation sector. We deliberately sold our lucrative routes to foreign airlines without protecting our own national carrier. PIA has been one of the best airline in the world with slogan “Great People to Fly with” under the dynamic leadership of late AM Asghar Khan and Noor Khan. There was a time when 40 to 45 airlines were roaring in our skies but now more than half are missing. PIA just needed few bigger aircrafts 777 to take traffic to various European countries instead we sold routes creating problems for the international travelers specially Canada and USA who were forced to break their journey in Dubai, Doha and Istanbul. Few new airlines addition in Pakistan has helped in easing the situation on domestic routes but still plenty of space exists to accommodate more travelers.
Pakistan’s liberal policy did attract new investors from Canada. Canadian airline ZARA Airways last year unveiled plans in local hotel to launch direct flight from Canada to Pakistan after completing regulators(CAA) formalities, but due to red tapism the party abandoned their plan. Unfortunately, red tapism in Pakistan has shaken the confidence of new investors as at every step hurdles are created to discourage them. Government claims one window operation to facilitate new investors but practically one window operation is converted in many small windows causing un necessary delays in issuing permission. There is need to fix time frame as being practiced in UAE, you deposit the papers for opening any industry and within one week you get the permission letter from the counter. Pakistan badly needs foreign exchange therefore any entrepreneur who is investing millions of dollars wants hassle free working environment. Let us establish healthy traditions by granting permissions for setting up any industry in 7 days. Prime Minister should open monitoring desk to ensure that no investor is put through to any inconvenience by any department and agencies. We welcome launching of Air Karachi and hope that Aviation Division shall extend full cooperation making it a success story.
The addition of more airlines and resumption of direct flights apart from providing travelers convenience shall boost up economic benefits and enhance bilateral relations between Pakistan and other countries. It is hoped CAA would extend full help to new aviation investors and attract more airlines. More airlines mean more revenue and that is the need of the hour. We extend our congratulations to Gohar Hanif and other renowned entrepreneurs from Karachi and wish them great success in launching Air Karachi.
