The launch is being hailed as an important step towards ending years of travel isolation for the province
Passengers queue at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi to get boarding passes for the first flight to Turbat. Photo: NNI
QUETTA:
Years of travel isolation for Balochistan moved closer to an end on Thursday when Governor Jafar Khan Mandokhail inaugurated South Airlines’ first domestic flight connecting Quetta and Turbat, described as a major breakthrough in regional aviation.
The launch, hailed as an important step towards ending years of travel isolation for the province, met with widespread acclaim from local representatives who have long advocated for better transport infrastructure.
Addressing an audience of provincial leaders, aviation chiefs and local dignitaries, Governor Mandokhail said this new route is just the beginning of a broader strategy to integrate Balochistan’s remote districts with the rest of Pakistan.
“The introduction of local routes builds nicely on recently established international flights from Quetta to Jeddah and Zahedan,” he said. “The government is already working closely with the aviation authorities to introduce regular flights to and from Zhob and Panjgur soon,” he added.
Building on the progress made over the past two years, the governor emphasized that the ultimate goal is to ensure that all residents of the province have a fast, safe and affordable way to travel to any city in the country.
Seeing the high passenger numbers on the very first intra-provincial flight, he urged both South Airlines and the Civil Aviation Authority to quickly establish additional connections, specifically requesting routes connecting Zhob to Islamabad, Multan and Dera Ismail Khan, along with Panjgur connections to Karachi and Quetta.
The launch of the flight was welcomed by the local representatives, who have long advocated for better transport infrastructure. Provincial Education Minister Rahila Hameed Khan Durrani noted that the new service directly addresses a serious transportation gap that has burdened local travelers for years.
“Reliable air travel offers a much-needed, safe alternative to the long and often dangerous road journeys across the province’s vast terrain,” said MPA Rahmat Saleh Baloch. He expressed gratitude for the administrative support that paved the way for infrastructure improvements in southern Balochistan.
The inauguration ceremony, which also marked the opening of the airline’s new regional office, ended with great optimism that increased air connectivity will act as a catalyst for economic growth and easier travel across the region.
