Ali Hamza
QUETTA: In a significant boost to Balochistan air connectivity, Governor Jafar Khan Mandokhail on Thursday inaugurated South Airlines’ first domestic flight between Quetta and Turbat, describing the launch as a major milestone in improving transportation and regional development across the province.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the governor said the new Quetta-Turbat flight has connected the two cities with Pakistan’s major urban centers and announced that air services to Zhob and Panjgur would be launched in the near future.
Calling the occasion a historic moment for Balochistan, Mandokhail said the province was entering a new era of aviation and connectivity. He added that expanding domestic and international air links would improve mobility, strengthen economic activity, promote tourism, and provide residents with safer and faster travel options.
The governor noted that the launch follows other recent aviation milestones, including the introduction of international flights from Quetta to Jeddah and Zahedan. He said the provincial government’s vision is to ensure that people across Balochistan have affordable, reliable, and accessible air travel to major cities throughout Pakistan.
Appreciating the strong passenger response to the inaugural flight, Mandokhail said the overwhelming turnout reflected the growing demand for competitive airline services in the province. He urged the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and South Airlines to expand operations by launching flights from Zhob to Dera Ismail Khan, Islamabad, and Multan, as well as Panjgur to Karachi and Quetta.
Provincial Education Minister Rahila Hameed Khan Durrani welcomed the launch, saying the new service would ease years of travel difficulties faced by the people of Balochistan due to limited air transport facilities.
She said South Airlines had filled a long-standing gap in the province’s transport network by linking Quetta and Turbat with the rest of the country, offering passengers a faster and more convenient mode of travel.
Member of the Provincial Assembly Rahmat Saleh Baloch also praised the initiative, saying expanded domestic flights in Balochistan would reduce travel time, improve public safety, and lower dependence on long and often hazardous road journeys.
He acknowledged Governor Mandokhail’s continued support for improving transport infrastructure, including highways and aviation facilities in Panjgur, Turbat, and Gwadar, and called for the early launch of regular flights from Panjgur.
