Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will soon start direct flights from Islamabad to Gwadar as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) makes its impact felt in the tourism sector, local media reported on Nov. 12.
PIA Chief Executive Officer Musharraf Rasool Cyan told reporters that the airline would "connect Islamabad and Gwadar by the end of this year", adding that "being the national carrier, we feel the responsibility for improving connectivity throughout Pakistan."
The Gwadar port, a project under the CPEC, has seen steady progress and is set become an economic and tourism hub of Pakistan. PIA authorities are eyeing to take maximum advantage out of the project, according to one senior analyst.