US allows direct flight access to Pakistan

WASHINGTON: The United States has agreed to operate direct flights to and from Pakistan, said Head of Prime Minister’s Strategic Reforms Salman Sufi.

Salman Sufi was addressing a press conference in Washington after holding a meeting held with senior US officials on a wide range of issues.

He said the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) representatives will soon visit Pakistan to inspect airports and planes. He said direct flights by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will also prove useful for commercial purposes.

He further announced that US Chamber of Commerce will appoint a representative in Karachi Port. He said the investment is due to the reforms by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

In a statement on Twitter after the meeting, Salman Sufi said direct flight access to the US market is pivotal for trade, businesses and passengers in Pakistan. He said the US was pleased to share the readiness to resume the process to allow Pakistan direct flight access.

Earlier, Salman Sufi held a meeting with Pakistani-American Tech Entrepreneurs through video link at Embassy of Pakistan in Washington.

He said Pakistan is being re-geared and re-oriented towards a cashless economy through technology interventions to provide maximum facilitation to businessmen, investors and entrepreneurs.

He further said the government is undertaking a series of reforms to remove all obstacles in the way of investors and businessmen.

He said the government is introducing a centralized KYC portal to save business community from excessive paperwork and unnecessary documentation.

Salman Sufi said the prime minister has also approved digitization of all government payments which will open a huge opportunity for FinTech companies.

On the occasion, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Masood Khan said the government is committed to provide requisite support to the IT sector initiatives. He said semiconductors have been identified as a key priority and US entrepreneurs are ready to invest in Pakistan after their due diligence.

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