QUETTA, Dec 25: Pakistan International Airlines launched its Quetta-Kandahar service on Tuesday with the first flight carrying 46 passengers and officials.

“Initially there will be two weekly fights,” PIA Managing Director Captain Mohammad Junaid Younas said at a ceremony held at the Quetta airport.

The Afghan Consul General in Quetta, Mr Ghulam Mohammad Bahadar, PIA’s general manager for Balochistan Ishtiaq Mirza, airport manager Dawood Durrani, government officials, traders and others attended the ceremony.

Governor of Kandahar Dr Taryalai and Consul General of Pakistan in Kandahar Farmanullah Yousufzai received the flight at the airport.

Dr Taryalai said the Quetta-Kandahar air service would strengthen relations between the two countries.

Captain Junaid said that the launching of Quetta-Kandahar service was a longstanding demand of traders on both sides of the border. He said it would help traders and exporters of both countries to boost trade and bring people of the two countries closer.

The Afghan consul general said PIA flight would ease travel between the two cities.

Captain Junaid said PIA would introduce its flights on more routes, including Chicago and Barcelona, in coming days. He said five new planes would be included in the PIA fleet next year.