Imran Khan inaugurates new airline

On Dec 9, 2020 Last updated Oct 4, 2021

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday said that his government was striving to revive industrialization as the only method to alleviate poverty and achieve inclusive growth through wealth creation.

“This is the first government which has a policy to industrialize and incentivize (industry) by bringing ease of doing business to increase investment and thus alleviate poverty and uplift the backward areas,” the prime minister said addressing the business community after the inauguration of AirSial, the private airline launched by Sialkot’s business community.

Federal Ministers Hammad Azhar and Ghulam Sarwar, Advisor to PM Abdul Razzak Dawood, Chief Minister of Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar and provincial cabinet members attended the event.

The prime minister, who earlier cut the ribbon to inaugurate the airline, said the industrialization would help uplift the neglected areas like Gilgit Baltistan, merged tribal areas and South Punjab.

Exemplifying China for steering 700 million people out of poverty through industrialization, the prime minister said the country was now executing China Pakistan Economic Corridor to connect its less-developed areas with the sea through Gwadar for their uplift.

He believed that no country could prosper without inclusive and equal growth.

Calling Sialkot’s business community as “most vibrant” for launching their own airline after an airport and development of roads, the prime minister assured them to resolve all of their issues related to the Federal Board of Revenue, State Bank and utility companies within a single meeting scheduled after two weeks.

He congratulated the business community for the new airline which he hoped would create a competitive atmosphere for PIA to bring efficiency in services.

“This is a tremendous initiative. The business community knows how to run the airport and airline. It will benefit Sialkot and Pakistan in every aspect,” he hoped.

The prime minister told the business community that the government had faced difficult times during COVID-19 but successfully navigated through it which was also acknowledged by the World Health Organization.

However, he said the opposition which had earlier been advocating India-like blanket lockdown during first spike, was now holding public gatherings despite a sharp surge in the second wave of cases.

Reiterating his call for observing precautions like face masks and social distancing, the prime minister said both the countries and economy could be saved only by adhering to SOPs.