QUETTA: A joint resolution was submitted in the Balochistan Assembly by Provincial Minister Sadiq Umrani, urging the federal government to take immediate steps to reduce airline fares for flights operating between Quetta and Karachi, ARY News reported.
The resolution highlighted that the closure of the Quetta-Karachi National Highway has left residents with no option but to rely on air travel, with many using flights to transport patients to Karachi for medical treatment.
It was noted that airline fares on this route have skyrocketed, with one-way tickets priced at PKR 70,000 — an unaffordable sum for the average traveler.
Minister Umrani and other signatories of the resolution urged the provincial government to formally request the federal government to intervene and enforce a reduction in airfares to provide relief to the public.
The resolution also highlighted that fares for flights between Quetta and Karachi, as well as Quetta and Islamabad, have increased drastically. Tickets, which previously cost between PKR 17,000 and PKR 20,000, are now being sold for as much as PKR 72,000 to PKR 100,000.
The Balochistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry has also raised the issue in a formal letter to the Ministry of Aviation, expressing serious concerns over excessive pricing. The Chamber pointed out that limited PIA flights have allowed private airlines to impose unjustified fares.
The Chamber’s President demanded that PIA and other airlines be directed to increase flight frequency on these key routes to ensure affordability and ease of travel for residents.
