Afghan govt seeks CAA's nod to operate flights

KARACHI: The new Afghan government has contacted the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Pakistan and sought permission for scheduled flights for Afghanistan Airlines Ariana and Kam Air.

According to details, the Afghan Ministry of Civil Aviation wrote a letter to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) seeking permission for the scheduled flights of Afghanistan Airlines Ariana and Kam Air to Pakistan.

Permission for flights was sought on the basis of the Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) between the two neighbouring countries, the letter said, adding that US troops had destroyed facilities at Kabul International airport during the evacuation process and that Qatar had restored technical aviation facilities at Kabul Airport.

Earlier this month, the Kabul airport was reopened after the US withdrawal and the first flight from Kabul to Mazar-e-Sharif took off. The head of Afghan civil aviation said it would take some time for foreign flights to start.

Later, on September 9, the launch of international flights from Kabul Airport was announced.

Officials said that international flights were resuming from Kabul Airport, a Qatar Airways flight carrying foreign passengers left from Kabul.

On Tuesday, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had cancelled its chartered flight to Kabul planned for Wednesday from Islamabad International Airport.

According to sources privy to the development, the cancelled PIA flight is now being scheduled for Thursday morning.

After the new government in Afghanistan, the first flight of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has landed at the Kabul International airport on September 13.