PIA flies to Lanka again

Suraj A Bandara

Pakistan International Airline (PIA) will recommence its flights to Sri Lanka from today. PIA stopped flying to Sri Lanka from 2007. A spokesman for the Bandaranaike International Airport told the Daily News that the first flight will arrive in Sri Lanka today at 7.30 am.

Pakistan High Commission Press and Media Head M M Daudhteshamm told the Daily News that these flights will promote people-to-people contacts and facilitate commercial trade between the two countries.

PIA is striving to promote tourism between the two countries by offering tour packages for the Cricket World Cup 2011 and later for summer and winter packages for holiday lovers, he said.

He said recommencing PIA flights would help develop cultural exchanges between Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

"There are many places of Buddhist interest in Pakistan and Sri Lankans would be able to visit these sites at an affordable price," he said.

The airline crew arriving today will be welcomed by Civil Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratna, Petroleum Minister Susil Premajayantha and Deputy Tourism Minister Faizer Mustapha. The first flight from Sri Lanka to Pakistan will be at 8.45 pm tomorrow.