PIA's first commercial flight lands at New Gwadar International Airport

Gwadar: The Pakistan International Airlines' (PIA) first commercial flight landed at New Gwadar International Airport on Monday.

Flight PK503 from Karachi arrived at New Gwadar International Airport where a water salute was given to the landing flight.

According to a PIA spokesperson, the first flight PK503 to New Gwadar International Airport departed from Karachi at 9:50am with 46 passengers. Apart from the passengers, senior officers of the Aviation Division also joined the inaugural flight.

The first commercial flight was welcomed by Minister for Defense and Aviation Khawaja Muhammad Asif.

Balochistan Governor Jafar Khan Mandokhel, Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan, Secretary Aviation Division Ahsan Ali Mangi, DG PAA Air Vice Marshal Zeeshan Saeed, DG Airports Security Force Major General Adnan Asif Jahshad and DG Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Nader Shafi Dar also attended the ceremony.

The new airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Chinese counterpart during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to Pakistan in October.

Earlier, a Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) official confirmed that the new Gwadar International Airport will start operations today, according to a media report.