More aircraft on Chitral route demanded

Dawn, Dec 1, 2004

By Zar Alam Khan
ISLAMABAD: People in Chitral have criticized the
government for delaying the induction of new "all-weather"
aircraft on the Peshawar-Chitral route to lessen communication
problems in winter during which they remain cut off from rest
of the country.
When the Lowari Pass route closes for all types of traffic
due to snow, the old age PIA Fokker flights from Peshawar
become the only source of link for the district. As the
flights are too erratic and dependent on weather condition,
the people use the Nawa Pass route via Kunar province of
Afghanistan at the risk of being killed and robbed to travel
to and from rest of the country.
They also slammed the government for not making alternative
arrangements to resolve the transportation problems of the valley
and demanded the federal government allocate special funds for
the purpose until the completion of the Lowari tunnel project.
The PIA had announced that it would induct seven 50-seater
new technology turboprop aircraft to replace the old Fokker
F-27 planes during the year 2004-05.
The PIA Board of Directors had formed a committee to give
a final report on the selection of prospective aircraft by the
end of March 2004.
The national carrier has been delaying the induction of the
new aircraft despite putting a few of them on trial flights.
Officials say the proposed aircraft will be best suited for
the mountainous areas where the Fokker-27 planes could not
operate even in slightly inclement weather.
Almost 70 per cent of weather-related flight delays will be
overcome if the turboprop aircraft are operated on the routes to
the Northern Areas and Chitral, they maintain.