PIA starts London to Sialkot flights

LONDON: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will run Sialkot-London-Sialkot flights from September 10 this year, said a statement.

Initially, these flights will operate once-a-week from Sialkot to Heathrow London every Tuesday, whereas the flight from Heathrow to Sialkot will run every Wednesday, PIA’s country manager in UK Siraj Qazi confirmed.

The route will provide direct point-to-point service to Sialkot and the shortest approach to Mirpur, Kharian, Gujrat, Jhelum and adjoining areas. This new-fangled route will be more significant for Sikh Yatris who are planning to participate in the celebration of 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak. The pilgrims are likely to opt for Sialkot route to start their pilgrimage for Kartarpur Gurdwara which is around 100 kilometres away.

According to the schedule, the PIA flight PK-777 will depart from Sialkot at 10.15am on every Tuesday and will arrive at Heathrow Airport at 14:50 local time.

Flight PK-778 will depart from Heathrow at 18:25 pm and will arrive at Sialkot Airport at 06:25 on Wednesday (next day).

According to Qazi, these flights will be operated with B-773-772 aircraft which has specially been decorated for this route.

PIA has been starting this operation after lots of consultations and feedback from customers. He hoped that the new route will help promote Pakistan’s tourism industry, saying most of the British Pakistanis hail from the areas close to Sialkot.