Tehran, Islamabad Agree to Establish Direct Flights

Pakistan and Iran have agreed to boost mutual cooperation in air aviation and transportation by establishing direct flights.

The issue was raised in a meeting between Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan Mehdi Honardoust and senior Pakistani aviation officials in Islamabad on Friday, Pakistan’s largest English-language newspaper The News International reported on its website.

Honardoust said in the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on implementing agreements and starting direct flights between Tehran and Islamabad by June.

“Iran is a big market and Pakistani goods have a good reputation there. There is a big demand for Pakistani basmati rice in Iran,” the Iranian ambassador said during the meeting.

The ambassador reiterated that Pakistan and Iran have cultural, historical, linguistic and religious commonalities.

“There are tremendous opportunities to improve trade relations between the two countries; sanctions have now been lifted by the world powers and Pakistan can capitalize on lucrative incentives offered by the Iranian government in sectors like energy, pharmaceutical, auto and information technology,” Honardoust added.

In relevant remarks in late December, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran Asif Khan Durrani called for broadening bilateral trade ties.

“There is a tremendous scope to strengthen trade and economic relations between Pakistan and Iran,” Durrani said during a visit to Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Durrani was in Pakistan to explain the huge trade potentials of Iran for Pakistani businessmen.

The Pakistani envoy pointed to trade hurdles between Iran and Pakistan, and said, “The lack of banking channel is one of the biggest reasons of limited trade between the two countries. By exploiting trade and investment opportunities, mutual trade could easily touch new heights.”

Durrani invited the Pakistani businessmen to participate in “Aleeshan Pakistan” exhibition slated for March 4-7 in Tehran, adding that it would provide an opportunity to establish new contacts with their Iranian counterparts, which is essential to boost two-way trade.

The Iranian president and Pakistani prime minister have already agreed to boost trade volume to $5 billion.