‘From terrorism to tourism’: Kundi presents vision for KP as South Air launches Peshawar-Lahore flight

Governor Faisal Karim Kundi declared on Monday his intention to transform Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from a region plagued by terrorism to a thriving hub for tourism, as South Air introduced a new flight route between Peshawar and Lahore. The governor unveiled this vision during the inaugural ceremony of the South Air Peshawar-Lahore service at Bacha Khan International Airport, where the inaugural flight departed at 1:56pm, with Kundi himself on board.

Kundi's administration has been operating under governor's rule and emergency since October 11, when the federal government imposed these measures due to the provincial government's perceived lack of engagement in the fight against terrorism. Speaking at the event, the governor emphasized that his administration "has begun working on T-to-T: from terrorism to tourism."

He stressed that KP would become a "bright and strong" province as part of this transformative journey, while also committing to eliminating terrorism in the region.

The South Air route is expected to stimulate both trade and tourism, as it drastically reduces the travel time between the two cities from a ten-hour road journey to a mere one-hour flight. Kundi reiterated that the additional flight option will enhance connectivity between various cities, including Lahore, Quetta, and in the future, Chitral. South Air expressed its support for the KP government in this endeavor.

Notable attendees at the ceremony included South Air's Chief Executive Officer Nishat Fatima, a joint secretary from the Ministry of Defence, KP MPA representatives, senior government officials, and business community representatives. Upon landing in Lahore, Kundi was greeted by Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Specialized Healthcare Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique, and MPA Ramesh Kumar.

In a preceding meeting on Sunday, Kundi and Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Amjad Hussain agreed to negotiate and resolve boundary disputes between the two regions. They also aimed to improve air connectivity, particularly between Gilgit and Islamabad, where passengers have frequently encountered difficulties due to limited flight operations and frequent cancellations.

South Air representatives discussed the introduction of further air services during this meeting. In July, the airline launched flights from Karachi to Quetta via Turbat and to Islamabad via Bahawalpur, with inaugural departures from Jinnah International Airport.