PIA planning to resume Peshawar-DI Khan flights

PIA planning to resume Peshawar-DI Khan flights
By our correspondent

PESHAWAR: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has sought a report from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for resuming flights from Peshawar to Dera Ismail Khan.
The airport was closed following the 9/11 attacks in the US and after the US invasion of Afghanistan due to fears that it could become a target of terrorists. The closure annoyed people in Dera Ismail Khan, Tank and the adjoining tribal areas of South Waziristan and Frontier Regions. A large number of workers employed in the Gulf countries and elsewhere were finding it convenient to fly to Dera Ismail Khan from Peshawar.
It also affected the business community and others who needed to fly to Peshawar, Zhob and Multan for work and business. It was learnt that MMA leader Maulana Fazlur Rahman was keen on the reopening of the airport and he had spoken to the president and the prime minister also for resuming PIA flights to Dera Ismail Khan. He has also been urging the PIA authorities to consider resuming flights to his hometown.
The PIA appears willing to resume flights to Dera Ismail Khan but it wants the CAA to ensure that ground-handling facilities are made available before the first flight to the city.
A tentative date of July 31 has also been planned for resuming the flights to Dera Ismail Khan but it isn't clear if it would be possible to do it.