Air Karachi operation office now open for business

KARACHI: The operation office of Air Karachi, Pakistan’s newest airline, has officially been inaugurated at the Old Airport, Karachi on Friday.

The launch event was attended by high-profile dignitaries including PIA CEO Amir Hayat, Nadir Shafiq, Director General Civil Aviation, diplomats along with shareholders and the Board of Directors.

In his address, Secretary of Defense Lieutenant General HI (M) Muhammad Ali (Retd), praised the initiative.

“We are making efforts to take Pakistan to the position that our founding leaders dreamt of,” he said.

“The way the business community is contributing is unparalleled. Karachi’s businessmen have worked not just for Karachi or Sindh, but to brighten Pakistan’s name worldwide,” he added.

Acknowledging the complexity of launching an airline, he said: “Launching an airline is a complicated and technical task. Some airlines came but couldn’t survive, while others successfully completed their journey and are still providing services today.”

The Defence Secretary highlighted Air Karachi’s partnership with PIA’s engineering division as beneficial and expressed optimism about the aviation sector’s future: “We assure you our full support,” he said.

Meanwhile, Air Karachi Chairman Hanif Gohar revealed that 42 businessmen came together to establish this national airline.

“We are 42 people who have created this airline for the country,” he said

Gohar shared his long journey toward realizing this dream: “We had pledged that we would soon bring a new airline to the country bearing Karachi’s name. Today, this dream is being fulfilled. I first applied for an airline license in 2009, but perhaps it was Allah’s will that this airline be established now.”

Highlighting the business community’s broader contributions, Gohar emphasized: “We, the business community, are working in welfare and health care activities. Under public-private partnerships, Karachi’s businessmen are working in hospitals, orphanages, educational institutions, and other important sectors.”

He stressed the critical role of Karachi’s business sector: “Karachi’s businessman is working in every sector. If you remove Karachi’s business community from this system, the wheel of the country’s economy will stop.”

Earlier, CEO Air Karachi AVM (Retd) Syed Imran Majid (HI) said that the airline has signed an MoU for Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul services with PIA, adding that the airline has obtained RPT license and is in the phase of acquiring three A320 aircraft and meetings with different airlines are being held in this regards.