Exclusive | Pakistan in talks with Cathay Pacific over resuming direct flights to Hong Kong, envoy says
Consul general Riaz Ahmed Shaikh says passenger demand supports resuming direct flights after 10-year hiatus
The Cathay Pacific route between Hong Kong and Karachi, the capital of Sindh province, was suspended following an attack on the Pakistani city’s airport in June 2014, with the airline citing “commercial reasons” for the cancellation.
In an exclusive interview with the Post, Pakistani consul general Riaz Ahmed Shaikh said the consulate had been “in contact” with Cathay regarding the resumption of routes.
“What we need to tell the airlines or convince them is that this route is not loss-making any more,” Shaikh said, arguing that “things have changed” in the 10 years since the cancellation of direct flights.
He cited China Southern Airlines’ existing flights between Guangzhou and Lahore – the capital of Punjab province – as an example of the increased demand.
