INTERNATIONAL

FEBRUARY 2021

Turkish Airlines to fly YG Cargo airlines starts from SIAL freighter service to Pakistan

The mother of all motorways

FEBRUARY 2021 - 3 I n t e r n a t i o n a l a v i a t i o n

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By Abdul Sattar Azad Phone 34615924 Fax 34615924 Printed by Sardar Sons

4 - FEBRUARY 2021 Vol 28 FEBRUARY 2021 No.05 ICAO updates global tourism 06 PIA sets new rules for crew: passports held, mobility restricted 08 IATA welcomes opening of new terminal at Bahrain International Airport 08 Turkish Airlines to fly from SIAL, Qatar Airways and Gulf Air to resume flight operation 09 Gulf Air moves into the new terminal at Bahrain International Airport 09 08 CAA to outsource pilots licensing exams to UK 10 IATA urges support for common european digital vaccination certificate 10 It's time for airline loyalty programs to add value 11 Gulf Air takes another Airbus A321LR 12 Why air cargo prices will not be back to 'normal' by 2023 14 China authorities extend anal Covid-19 tests for passengers arriving from abroad 15 Qatar-Saudi border reopens after thaw 17 FIA to attach properties owned by Shaheen Air 18 Walton airport likely to be shifted 19 IATA: 2020 was the worst year in history for air travel demand 21 Gulf Air to start European long-haul flights with Airbus A321LR 23 Emirates' self check-in screens are now fully touchless 30 European Plan for Aviation Safety 2021-2025 published 30 27 Lufthansa cuts first class on all US routes until at least May 32 Multan's mangoes and multinationals 34 Utilise Gwadar Port for transit trade with Kabul 35 Textile exports reached historic high in Dec. 36 Speed breakers and a long corridor 36 Nepalese team makes history, scales K2 in winter 38 The mother of all motorways 39 No contact with Sadpara, two others on K2 mission 41 Preferred Hotels & Resorts renews successful strategic partnership with Sabre 42 Murad vows to undertake tourism-oriented development in city 43 Rise in leopard population on Margalla Hills linked to healthy ecosystem: IWMB 45 Experts fear Makli necropolis may lose World Heritage Site status after `renovation` 47 38

FEBRUARY 2021 - 5 ICAO updates global tourism Crisis Committee on latest vaccine and testing developments in air transport

peaking to the 8th Virtual recognition leading to the possible Meeting of the UN World reduction of quarantine measures. STo u r i s m O r g a n i z a t i o n The technical solutions for both (UNWTO) Global Tourism Crisis the vaccination and a testing certificate Committee this week, ICAO Secretary c o u l d b e b u i l t u p o n I C A O General Dr. Fang Liu acknowledged that specifications for Visible Digital Seals the latest measures to confront the most (VDS), as already defined in ICAO Doc recent waves of COVID-19 transmission 9303 on Machine Readable Travel are weighing heavily on global travel and Documents (MRTDs), to ensure tourism. globally interoperability and a secure, She emphasized that there were few customer friendly approach. signs of near-term relief ahead for travel “VDS-based testing certificates and tourism markets, given that the world will be secure, trustworthy, privacy- is still faced with limited supplies of protecting, and interoperable, built on vaccines, and insufficient data on the conditions, and financially reasonable for internationally recognized standards transmission of the virus by persons that all concerned,” Dr. Liu underscored. “A and specifications and tailored to the have been vaccinated. number of different approaches are capabilities of existing infrastructure,” she currently being developed, and it is said. essential we work to ensure their effective Dr. Liu concluded by underlining that interoperability.” international alignment on the acceptance She further noted that ICAO is of test results and vaccination certificates collaborating with the WHO, IATA and remains a key global objective, and the other travel sector stakeholders to best way forward to the resumption of standardize vaccination and testing global travel and tourism. certificates, thereby promoting mutual

Dr. Liu underscored that ICAO is collaborating with States, partner agencies and industry on the global vaccine distribution challenge, and to develop further guidance applicable to current and future pandemics. The ICAO Secretary General drew her colleagues' attention to ICAO's newly issued manual on Testing and Cross Border Risk Management Measures, stressing that the multi-layered health measures it outlines may likely continue to be pursued by states in the medium- to long-term, “Proper certification of vaccines may be required in the near future, but in the meantime the international acceptance of test results must be a key priority,” she noted. “Currently there is no agreed-upon means to do so country-to-country on an irrefutable and fraud-resistant basis.” When and where they are required, ICAO is also recommending that COVID-19 test results and vaccination certificates should be provided in a timely and reliable manner, allowing for the rapid facilitation of travellers while ensuring equity in access. “Such solutions should also be respectful of privacy and personal data, adaptable to varying infrastructure and

6 - FEBRUARY 2021 FEBRUARY 2021 - 07 PIA sets new PIA makes cabin IATA welcomes rules for crew: crew's alcohol opening of new passports held, testing mandatory terminal at Bahrain he Pakistan International International mobility restricted Airline has announced its decision to make alcohol Airport fter the recent incident when T testing compulsory for its cabin crew in a flight attendant of Pakistan line with European Union's Safety AInternational Airlines went Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA) he International Air Transport missing in Canada during the layover at programme. Association (IATA) has the end of January 2021, the air carrier A notification issued in this regard to Twelcomed the opening of the decided to adjust its internal working all cabin crew members said that European new terminal at Bahrain International rules. The airline is set to implement new Union Aviation Safety Agency will be Airport. tighter rules under which it would control initiating alcohol testing during safety “The opening of the new terminal at its crew movement during international assessment of foreign aircraft ramp Bahrain International Airport is not only layovers. inspection. The test will be mandatory an important milestone in the development Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from Feb 14. of Bahrain International Airport as a issued new strict directives for its cabin It said the test result would be regional hub but also welcome news for crew members. Under the new rules, all considered negative when the breath the industry during this difficult time. The crew members will be required to hand alcohol concentration, measured by a new terminal will provide vital capacity their passports over to the station manager breath alcohol tester is lower or equal to and capabilities to cargo operators at the airport as soon as they clear the equivalent level of 0.2 grams of blood shipping essential vaccines and PPE immigration and customs checks post- alcohol concentration (BAC) per liter of equipment immediately, and open the door arrival in foreign countries. The passports blood or the national statutory limit, for increased connectivity once passenger will be returned to each crew member at whichever is the lower. traffic starts to pick up. Aviation is a key the time of check-in for departing PIA's The flight services authorities also pillar of Bahrain's economythis has been flights. said that any refusal by crew members will strengthened today, taking the country one In addition, security staff at hotels, be considered a “positive result” and step closer to achieving its Economic where cabin crew members stay, would further legal and departmental Vision 2030 to establish the Kingdom as conduct checks to see if every crew proceedings would be initiated against the an aviation center in the region. We member checked in on arrival. The hotel individual. congratulate all involved in this significant staff would inform the air carrier about Earlier, the PIA management had infrastructure project,” said Muhammad any discrepancy. In addition, due to the issued a fresh Standard Operating prevailing COVID-19 pandemic Albakri, IATA regional vice president for Procedure for the crew members after a Africa and the Middle East. situation, the mobility of cabin crew steward and an air-hostess of separate The 210,000sq m terminal, which is members would be also restricted, flights went missing in Toronto. four times the size of the existing facility, prohibiting the PIA's employees from The PIA management has launched an increases the airport's capacity to 14 leaving the hotel premises at night time. inquiry into disappearing of two crew million passengers a year, having handled PIA clears 110 pilots after fake members. license scandal around 9 million in 2019. Pakistan's national flag-carrier PIA representative informed the country's Supreme Court that the airline had confirmed the validity of 110 pilots' licenses out of 141. The measures are implemented following a recent incident in Toronto, Canada. Soon after the flight PK-789 landed at Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) on January 29, 2021, a flight attendant went missing. According to Pakistani media, the flight attendant boarded the PIA flight at Allama Iqbal Airport (LHE), Lahore, and disappeared straight after landing in Toronto without informing the airline seniors. The recent incident became the fourth case in four years when PIA's crew members go missing during international layovers. The new terminal replaces a 60-year-old facility.

08 - FEBRUARY 2021 Turkish Airlines to Gulf Air moves into the new terminal fly from SIAL, at Bahrain International Airport ahrain International Airport Qatar Airways has a brand new terminal, and Bthe country's national airline is the first carrier to move in. Gulf Air operated its first outbound commercial and Gulf Air to flight to Delhi on January 28th and also received its first inbound flight from Lahore to the new terminal as well. These resume flight flights will be the first of many more as Gulf Air says goodbye to its old home at The new terminal replaces a 60-year-old facility.

operation Bahrain's international airport is Chairman SIAL Mian Naeem Javed relatively small, a suitable size for the has said that the Sialkot International island nation of 1.6 million people. Indeed, Airport is trying its best to get rid of the driving across the entire country will take you just over an hour!However, as the effects of Corona.The good news for the Kingdom's population has continued to people of Sialkot and adjoining districts, climb steadily, a new and modern terminal including Azad Jammu and Kashmir, is was needed for its airport, which was built that two major airlines, Qatar Airways The new terminal is four times larger than its in 1961. The result is a new terminal with a and Gulf Airways, which had canceled predecessor. size four times larger than the previous one. their flights due to Corona, will resume the old terminal, opened in 1961. The new facility is expected to their flights from Sialkot Airport in the “Taking into consideration all of the accommodate up to 14 million passengers updated health and safety measures, the light of successful negotiations. Gulf Air per year. new state-of-the-art lounge will reflect As reported in a previous Simple and Qatar Airways suspended their flights new concepts of modern premium Flying article, Gulf Air's CEO said, a year ago due to Corona. From March, lounges yet keeping with the legacy and “We started our operations back in 1950 in Gulf Air will resume flights between rich history of the 70 year old Gulf Air a small facility in Muharraq [Island] and Sialkot and Bahrain, while Qatar Airways brand.” -Gulf Air soon we will see a world-class airport will resume flights between Sialkot and The first flights being officially opened to welcome the Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Doha from February 28. world to our beloved Kingdom. The new Kingdom of Bahrain, operated its first Turkish Airlines team in Pakistan has airport is our new home and we are proud to flights from the new facility on January met the Chairman SIAL and showed their have a bigger, more modern home to be 28th. Outbound, the first flight was Gulf Air's hub.” wilingness to start operations from SIAL, GF2130 to Delhi on one of the newest The new facilities hopefully Turkish Airlines will start Airbus A320neo aircraft at 14:35 Bahrain With its much larger footprint, the new flights from SIAL in near future after time. airport terminal will offer much more in the approval from govt. The first incoming flight was a Gulf way of shopping and amenities for Air 787-9 service from Lahore at 14:50. passengers. This flight arrived at 1450 According to The Moodie Davitt local time. Report, the new terminal offers 10,000 Qantas' New Airbus square meters of core retail and dining A321XLR Fleet What We Know So Far space along with a further 2,000 square Gulf Air's last flight meters for “future-proofing.” This from the old terminal was commercial space is divided into 54% for to Dubai as GF504. This retail and 46% for food & beverage. departed at 10:55 as an “BIA's new duty free area will be four Airbus A320neo. times larger than at the existing terminal, The new terminal offering passengers an improved shopping officially opened on experience. The new retail areas will be January 28th. Photo: Mas three times bigger, introducing 30 leading Architecture Int Ltd. brands for the first time in the Kingdom of Stay informed: Sign Bahrain. Airport tenants and partners will up for our daily aviation also benefit from greater support.” -BAC news digest. Chief Commercial Officer Ayman Zainal Chairman SIAL presenting shield to Mr. Hamid Eldeleklioglu GM Saying goodbye to the via The Moodie Davitt Report. Turkish Airlines Lahore, Mr. Burhan Yildirim Station Manager Turkish old terminal airlines also share the occasion.

FEBRUARY 2021 - 09 CAA to outsource pilots licensing exams to UK

n a bid to address the concerns of He also told a questioner that none of extension for six months because he was global aviation industry on the the pilots of the PIA plane that crashed last investigating the accident [PIA plane Iissue of alleged fake licences of year killing 97 passengers and crash]. Now his replacement has been Pakistani pilots, the Civil Aviation crewmembers had fake licences. nominated from the Air Force and will join Authority (CAA) has decided to “All those involved [in the incident] in a day or two.” outsource the process of holding licensing are currently facing accountability. All of Asked why PIA's direct flight to exams to the United Kingdom's CAA. our staff [found] involved have been Birmingham from Islamabad was Currently, all licensing exams, dismissed from services. And in a day or stopped, CAA's Air Transport director Air including commercial/airline transport two FIA will lodge criminal cases. Cmdr Irfan Sabir replied: “For the time pilot licence (CPL/ATPL), of the CAA are Everything will come to light in a day or being, there are restrictions on Pakistani suspended after Aviation Minister two.” operators, not only PIA ... there are some Ghulam Sarwar Khan had given what In response to a question as to why no audit objections which we are pursuing. many thought was an irresponsible one had so far been nominated as the head As soon as the observations are removed statement that licences of 262 Pakistani of the Aircraft Accident Investigation and our audit gets cleared, the operation of pilots were fake. Board (AAIB) after the “resignation” of PIA between the UK and Pakistan will Following his statement, the Air Commodore Usman Ghani, DG start.” European Union Aviation Safety Agency Murtaza said: “Air Cdr Usman Ghani did He said that the PIA plane crashed (EASA) had suspended Pakistan's Third not resign. He was retired from the Air because of pilot's mistake as there was no Country Operation Authorisation and Force six months ago, but he was given issue of safety or any system anomaly. recently while extending the suspension for three more months it said that the investigations by the European IATA urges support for common european Commission and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) into digital vaccination certificate certification and oversight activities performed by the Pakistan CAA are still ongoing. he International Air Transport requirement for a harmonized safe At an online public meeting aired live Association (IATA) urged all aviation restart is more urgent than ever in on its Facebook page, many concerned Tbranches of the European the face of renewed lockdowns and travel asked CAA Director General Khaqan Union to support an initiative from Greek restrictions across the world. Murtaza about resumption of ATPL and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to As the virus comes eventually under other licensing exams, restoration of agree a common digital European control, testing capacities improve and the direct flights of Pakistan International COVID-19 vaccination certificate that vaccinated population grows, de Juniac Airlines (PIA) to UK cities, May 22, 2020 would enable those who are vaccinated to stressed the need for governments to PK-8303 crash and fake licence saga. travel freely within Europe without prepare for re-establishing the freedom of About licensing exams, the CAA COVID-19 testing. movement with well-coordinated chief said: “This will God willing begin in In an open letter to Ursula von der planning. That planning should use the the end of March or April start ... we are Leyen, President of the European most effective combination of vaccination going to outsource these exams and all the Commission, and copied to key policy- and testing capabilities. written exams will be conducted through makers across the EU, IATA Director “We are in very dark days of this the UK CAA.” General and CEO Alexandre de Juniac pandemic. But the tough measures taken 'All CAA's licences genuine' called on EU States to coordinate a policy combined with accelerating vaccination When a Facebook user asked as to that would see Europe safely gain the programs must give us hope that we can how the CAA allowed pilots having fake economic and social benefits of renewed safely re-establish the freedom of licences to fly planes, Mr Murtaza said: freedom of movement, beginning with movement. That will save jobs, ease “Let me clarify ... none of the licences those who are vaccinated. mental anguish, re-connect families and were fake ... licensees were upgraded on ”Prime Minister Mitsotakis' initiative revive the economy. To do this safely and different occasions and they had to take should be urgently adopted by the efficiently, planning is key. Prime tests and exams again. Some pilots in Commission and all member states. Minister Mitsotakis's proposal for vaccine connivance with CAA officials Vaccination is a fundamental key to safely certificates will be a key enabler. Progress manipulated some papers but we have reopening borders and stimulating on eliminating or reducing quarantines caught all such cases after an inquiry and economic recovery. A pan-European can be made with testing protocols. But took action against them.” mutually recognized vaccination what we need now is for governments to “We have cancelled some 50 licences certificate would be an important step start working together much more after an inquiry and about 32 licences towards giving governments the effectively. Unilateral government actions were suspended for different time period confidence to safely open their borders, were able to quickly dismantle global for having minor issues. Apart from these and passengers the confidence to fly connectivity. Re-building will need licences all other licences are fine and without the barrier of quarantine,” said de coordination,” said de Juniac. regular and none of them are fake. A fake Juniac. The EU Heads of State meet on licence is the one which [has] no basis or The Greek proposal is for a Thursday 21 January and Prime Minister [is] issued by an institute that doesn't harmonized vaccination certificate that Mitsotakis' proposal will be on the agenda. exist. CAA as an institute issues licences could contribute “to the re-establishment It is hoped they will direct the and all the licences are genuine and not of mobility on a global scale, which is the Commission to take action and develop a fake ... some wrongdoings were done later foundation for re-establishing economic common certification. in [different] papers,” he said. activity to pre-crisis levels.” The 10 - FEBRUARY 2021 It's time for airline loyalty programs to add value

ver the past several years, not. For most airlines, the fare class airlines in the U.S. have essentially told every elite passenger that Ogorged on easy business, unless they are traveling on an expensive many making money hand over fist. This fare, they will be treated like other led to some brazen liberties taken by three passengers. of major U.S. airlines to devalue their The loyalty of a top tier flier flying loyalty programs. The logic was simple: over 100,000 miles annually means they were making tons of money, so what nothing to an airline if that flyer purchased need was there for a compelling loyalty basic economy tickets for their family program that actually drove loyalty? And vacation. They are simply their fare. And of course, there was the addition of basic that is exactly what elite loyalty program economy fares, which punished elite members hope to avoid. travelers who were forced to pay for trips American Airlines this past on their own dime. the airline can no longer make money September was onto something when it All of this was terribly short-sighted, off those seats. added back elite benefits to its basic and I have been saying for years that it's Delta Air Lines recently spoke about economy fares. But at the same time, the going to be a problem when the next its SkyMiles members hoarding miles airline said that basic economy no longer economic downturn came around. And in through co-branded credit card spend for qualified towards elite status so again, the 2020, we sure got that economic use in the future. Any reasonable miles or airline was pushing the message, “If you downturn, to the point where many points enthusiast will tell you that's a don't buy expensive fares, you mean airlines experienced negative net-forward terrible idea. Airlines rake in billions of nothing to us.” bookings due to COVID-19, meaning dollars by selling their passengers a value The lack of a value proposition from more travelers were canceling trips than proposition that the airlines can then these major airlines is going to let price- were booking them. unilaterally change when executives aggressive competitors take the upper Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and realize they've badly managed their hand. One airline in the U.S. actually is American Airlines all essentially offer a programs. doing something intelligent with their commodity product. To put it plainly, In good times, Delta charged obscene loyalty program, and that airline is Spirit there isn't that much differentiation in amounts of miles for redemptions. But Airlines. economy cabins across the carriers. And now, we're not in those “good times.” So The airline recently announced a differences in punitive basic economy what is likely to happen when all that pent- spectacularly well thought out revamp of fares are too nuanced for the ordinary up demand returns and members go to use its loyalty program. It gives elite status traveler to attempt to compare, so they're their miles? Delta is going to need to hard benefits, and it makes collecting more or less considered similar for the devalue its program even further. We'll see points meaningful. The beauty of the purpose of this article. redemption rates soar even higher as program is that it also is positioned to be Destruction of Loyalty Programs people try to burn through their glut of profitable to the airline as well. There are Because they're selling something so miles. higher points earning multiples on similar, airlines needed to have another Right now, it's simply not feasible to ancillary spend, which is the area of the place where value could come from that intelligently leverage airlines' butchered business where Spirit makes a large would drive loyalty. In recent decades, loyalty programs. And this is why we see fraction of its revenue and crucially sees one of those areas was the loyalty paltry offerings by the airlines: They're the highest margins. None of the big three program, which airlines, in their victims of their own greed. airlines offer any sort of increased value magnificent foresight, have gutted the Delta tried to go the “revenue for purchasing ancillaries. past few years. premium” route by blocking middle seats Spirit has put together the perfect The three major U.S. airlines are all on aircraft, believing the move would strategy to draw leisure flyers away from deep in ditches when it comes to driving drive passengers to the airline. But looking the big airlines. With mileage earning value from their programs. Delta is a little at some initial third-quarter data, the pitiful and redemptions high, the leisure bit deeper than the rest since they've been strategy appeared to backfire as the carrier flyer doesn't get much value from the ones to gut their program the most, ended up generating less revenue per mile programs like AAdvantage, SkyMiles or making a number of moves that have than its competitors. MileagePlus. devalued their miles and changed their The approach here seems to be to try Spirit not only offers cheap fares but platform to make it more airline-friendly. to get higher-paying passengers on its now offers a decent way to earn miles and The airlines' respective marketing planes now with the hope it will continue have relatively reasonable redemptions. If departments can of course create to do so in the future. All they would need it can market these benefits effectively, it promotions to help drive people back onto to do that is a valuable loyalty program to will do damage to the big three airlines as planes or push people to a particular help drive that returning demand. leisure travel returns. Spirit can't compete airline, but the promotions need to be Basic Economy for business travelers purely because of its lucrative enough to make that happen. But Then, of course, there is the onboard offerings, but nearly all forecasts at the same time, they also can't be too punishment that is basic economy. While say any business travel is not likely to lucrative that they end up actually driving having basic economy makes perfect recover until 18-24 months from today, down value for the airline itself. Print too sense, the unreasonable punitive and leisure travel is going to be driving many miles and release too few seats, and restrictions levied on elite passengers does bookings for the time being.

FEBRUARY 2021 - 11 Delivery flight details Gulf Air welcomes Gulf Air takes Delivered to Gulf Air on February 5th, this brand new A321LR is registered its new 70th as A9C-NB. According to RadarBox.com another Airbus the aircraft departed its final assembly site anniversary Airbus at Hamburg in the dark of night, at 21:45 A321LR CET. The overnight flight would take five A321neoLR hours and 40 minutes, with the aircraft ontinuing to modernize its arriving at the new terminal of Bahrain fleet, Bahrain's Gulf Air has International Airport at 06:25 AST. Ctaken delivery of its second Data from AIB Family Flights ulf Air welcomed its new Airbus A321LR. The aircraft touched indicates that the aircraft was first seen Airbus A321neoLR which down at its new home at Bahrain back in October 2020 already in its special landed in the new terminal of G International Airport on February 5th at livery. Its first flight was reported to have Bahrain International Airport. 06:40. taken place on January 14th, with four more test flights taking place through February 2nd. This aircraft is Gulf Air's second A321LR. Below is a video the airline posted of its first, which it received in September last year: Equipped with lie-flat seating The aircraft is the second delivery of a 17-A321neo-aircraft order. Eight of these 17 new A321s are equipped with flat-bed seats. More specifically, the long-range jet The brand new A321LR features the airline's will have 16 new flat-bed Falcon Gold special 70th Anniversary retro livery. seats, “further solidifying the commitment The aircraft is designed with the The aircraft is adorned with a special that Gulf Air has in being the boutique special 70th anniversary Golden Falcon retro livery to mark its 70th anniversary a airline of the Middle East,” the airline livery which showcases the airline's livery that's also featured on one of its states. Additionally, the aircraft is fitted iconic and vintage design from the last Boeing 787s. It's quite an exciting time for with 150 economy class seats. These new century with a revamped look. Following Gulf Air as the carrier has also recently jets will also be equipped with WiFi. its delivery from the Airbus delivery moved into its new home at Bahrain “As the airline expands its network to centre in Hamburg, Germany, the aircraft International Airport's brand new further places and include new destination will operate long-haul European routes as terminal. to its growing network map, it keeps well as a selection of GCC destinations. “We are delighted to welcome our newest elevating the service level with more aircraft, the Airbus A321neoLR into our The aircraft is the second of the 17 appealing products and facilities to make A321neo aircraft order which includes 8 fleet in its special 70th anniversary Golden Falcon livery. This addition will journeys on Gulf Air more comfortable that are equipped with flat-bed seats. Gulf and enjoyable.” -Gulf Air Air was the first airline in the Middle East strengthens our position in the medium to long haul markets as it represents an The aircraft is designed with the to introduce fully flat-beds on this aircraft special 70th anniversary Golden Falcon type. upgraded product to offer best in class service to our passengers. The relationship livery, which showcases the airline's Zayed R. Alzayani, chairman of Gulf that we have with Airbus is very strong and iconic and vintage design from the last Air's Board of Directors said: “We are we continue to work closely with them to century with a revamped look. delighted to welcome our newest aircraft, further develop our fleet and products to The airline notes that this Airbus the Airbus A321neoLR into our fleet in its ensure the highest levels of customer A321LR will operate long-haul European special 70th anniversary Golden Falcon satisfaction.” -H.E. Mr. Zayed R. routes, as well as a selection of GCC livery. This addition will strengthens our Alzayani, Chairman of Gulf Air's Board of destinations, further establishing the position in the medium to long haul Directors. A321LR as a long-haul narrowbody jet. markets as it represents an upgraded product to offer best in class service to our passengers. The relationship that we have with Airbus is very strong and we continue to work closely with them to further develop our fleet and products to ensure the highest levels of customer satisfaction”. The new aircraft premieres 16 new flat-bed Falcon Gold seats and 150 economy class seats. All seats are equipped with latest in-flight ۔entertainment technology

12 - FEBRUARY 2021 FEBRUARY 2021 -13 Cathay Pacific Why air cargo prices will not be back exempts first and to 'normal' by 2023 business class IR CARGO prices are on the market will not be back-to-normal until rise again on key trade lanes 2023,” he adds. passengers from Adespite prices having cooled “We've seen some incremental sequentially over the course of January. freighters coming into the market. And the The increases are especially apparent on current pricing environment is changing mask requirement North America-bound Transpacific operator pain tolerances for feedstock that routes, according to data collated by the may have been considered prohibitively- Baltic Air Freight Index (BAI Index). expensive just a year ago. But production “Global rates and conversion lead times are high, and remain well above the outlook for the industry and global historical peaks,” r e v e a l s B r u c e economy is not free from uncertainty. C h a n , v i c e - Both factors are headwinds to augmented president of the freighter capacity.” transportation and BAI Index's prediction of long-term logistics sector at capacity constriction is in line with i n v e s t m e n t estimates from a number of large freight banking company forwarders which believe that charter ong Kong-based Cathay S t i f e l . “ F o r Bruce Chan, vice-president of flights will become a more permanent Pacific is winding back the example, rates on the transportation and logistics sector at investment banking fixture amongst the range of services on Hrules on wearing face masks the Shanghai-to- company Stifel. offer to customers. “But if and when for some of its premium cabin passengers. North America charter usage becomes more mainstream, Those passengers lucky enough to enjoy b a s k e t h a v e there may be some practical competitive the lie-flat beds of long-haul business class declined nearly 40 per cent since the start of the year, though it's probably of little implications,” Chan says. “Namely a and first class are now allowed to take off solace to shippers who paid more than market that prefers large players with their face masks when the bed is down. double for the same capacity on that route density and economies of purchasing scale Cathay Pacific is relaxing the face in January 2021 versus January 2020,” he and scope. This trend likely accelerates mask rules for its premium cabin observes. consolidation that was already occurring passengers. BAI Index research shows unusual around players with technology, Unless lying down, face masks stay on volatility was evident in the month sophistication, and global network Reporting in Executive Traveller , despite “sequential easing” of airfreight differentiation. David Flynn cites an internal Cathay rates moving into a typical seasonal first- It also means that total average Pacific communication giving the green quarter lull, writes Thelma Etim. airfreight rates are likely to stay higher for light to premium cabin passengers “There is evidence that absolute rates longer. “And it may further separate the removing their face masks when lying are ticking back up again on certain core shipper 'haves' from the 'have nots' that is, lanes. This volatility and uncertainty are shippers with high-enough margins that down. exacerbating challenges for shippers and According to the airline, the partitions airfreight rate increases are not as will require new approaches to supply proportionately detrimental. We assume around the premium seats help contain any chain planning and budgeting, in our threat of COVID-19 infection. Passenger view,” insists Chan. that any shipper that was on the fence about the airfreight cost-benefit trade-off density and personal space are also much “The unfortunate news for end- purchasers of capacity is that we see has firmly picked a side at this point.” better in the premium cabins than down the Post-COVID re-stocking is also back of the plane. This further reduces the availability remaining a constraint for some time. Consensus is pointing towards currently affecting capacity and pricing risk of infection. a pick-up in passenger flight traffic dynamics, Chan notes. “The e-commerce What Are The World's Largest towards the back half of the year as m e g a t r e n d a n d s u p p l y c h a i n Aircraft Graveyards? vaccines are disseminated, but, in our regionalisation are altering demand cycles Except for this new clause, Cathay view, that is heavily weighted towards and routes. Rapid replenishment, quick Pacific requires its passengers, regardless short-haul, domestic leisure lanes.” lead times, and a distributed fulfilment of travel class, to wear a face mask while Chan expects long-haul travel which centre network mean that belly space, on one of its planes. normally provides a mass of belly-hold which is intrinsically attached to “While the risk of transmission cargo capacity will be slower to resume. passenger flight gateways, may not be the “Our baseline assumption is that the onboard remains very low, we have most efficient and effective source of implemented measures to safeguard the capacity. Rather, all-cargo or charter wellbeing of our passengers and crew,” the flights to secondary gateways are becoming more common, in our view,” he airline says. underscores. “To protect the wellbeing of all “Structural changes to the air cargo passengers and our crew onboard, if you market, its constituents, and consumers are two years of age or older, you must may signal a higher new normal for rates,” wear a face mask when traveling with us.” Chan concludes.

14 - FEBRUARY 2021 China authorities extend anal Covid-19 tests for passengers arriving from abroad

hina has begun using anal Weibo social media platform reacted to the swabs to test those it considers method with a mix of mirth and horror. “So Cat high risk of contracting lucky I returned to China earlier,” one user Covid-19, state TV reported. wrote. “Low harm, but extreme According to media: “Passengers humiliation,” another said, using a arriving from abroad in China must laughing emoticon. undergo a new screening test for Covid- Others who had undergone the 19, carried out no longer in the nose or procedure chimed in with dark humour. throat, but in the rectum”. “I've done two anal swabs, every time I did The Chinese authorities impose this one I had to do a throat swab afterwards — test on subjects at risk, contact cases or I was so scared the nurse would forget to passengers arriving from abroad, during use a new swab,” one Weibo user joked. their quarantine at the hotel in China. CCTV said recently anal swabs would Officials took anal swabs from not be used as widely as other methods, as residents of neighbourhoods with the technique was “not convenient.” confirmed Covid-19 cases in Beijing recently, broadcaster CCTV said, while As cases rise around the world, China those in designated quarantine facilities has imposed stricter requirements on have also undergone the test. international arrivals in an effort to keep domestic transmission close to zero. Small, localized outbreaks in recent But the anal swabs method “can weeks have seen multiple cities in increase the detection rate of infected All arrivals into the country must have northern China sealed off from the rest of people” as traces of the virus linger longer multiple negative test results and the country and prompted mass testing in the anus than in the respiratory tract, Li quarantine for at least 14 days in a campaigns — which up until now have Tongzeng, a senior doctor from Beijing's designated hotel on arrival, with many mostly been conducted using throat and You'an Hospital, told CCTV. cities and regions imposing additional nose swabs. Users of China's popular Twitter-like home observation requirements. Etihad Airways one of the first airlines globally to launch IATA Travel Pass

he International Air Transport campaigning for collaboration and a Association and Etihad united regulatory response to restore TAirways, the national airline of confidence in flying. the UAE, recently announced a “The Etihad Airways partnership to partnership to launch the IATA Travel Pass launch the IATA Travel Pass is an for Etihad Airways' guests. The IATA important milestone on the road to Travel Pass is a mobile app to help meaningfully restarting international passengers easily and securely manage travel. Our aim is to give all governments their travel in line with government the confidence to re-open borders to requirements for COVID-19 tests or travellers based on verified vaccine and vaccines. IATA Travel Pass will initially be testing data. The initial stage of the Etihad Dhabi, giving our guests the added launch will focus on all four elements of offered to Etihad Airways guests on assurance of safety when they travel with selected flights from Abu Dhabi in the first the IATA Travel Pass modules, one of the us. A high priority for Etihad is for our first airlines in the world to do so,” said quarter of 2021. If successful, the pass will guests to have an easy, secure and efficient be extended to other destinations on the Nick Careen, IATA's Senior Vice way to identify and verify their President, Airport, Passenger, Cargo and Etihad network. information. Being one of the first airlines The IATA Travel Pass will enable Security. globally working with IATA as a pioneer IATA Travel Pass has been developed Etihad's guests to create a 'digital passport' partner on the IATA Travel Pass is a big to receive COVID test results and verify as four independent modules that can step forward for Etihad's guests and for the interact with each other. These modules they are eligible to undertake their industry,” said Mohammad Al Bulooki, journey. Importantly, IATA Travel Pass cover registries for regulatory entry Chief Operating Officer, Etihad Aviation requirements and labs/test centers, will keep passengers in control of their Group. data and facilitate the sharing of their test verified certificate issuance, digital Etihad has been actively exploring identity and the possibility for passengers with airlines and authorities for travel. It the roll out of digital health certification will also make it convenient for to share their tests results along their for its guests, and this latest partnership journey via their mobile device. These p a s s e n g e r s t o m a n a g e t r a v e l with IATA, alongside similar programmes documentation throughout their journey. modules can work together as one “COVID-19 tests and vaccinations the airline has in development, shows the complete end-to-end solution. Or they can will be key to get the world flying again. technology is advancing quickly to make be used separately to complement systems Since 1 August 2020, Etihad is the only it a reality. To standardise the way in that others are building. IATA has airline requiring a pre-departure negative which passenger wellness can be assured developed these modules to ensure they PCR test result for all passengers during the COVID-19 pandemic, at an are interoperable with other industry worldwide, and again on arrival in Abu industry level, Etihad is actively solutions.

FEBRUARY 2021 -15 16 - FEBRUARY 2021 a Land Cruiser, in order to go and Qatar-Saudi border reopens after thaw celebrate with my relatives in Saudi Arabia, and I took the coronavirus test and atar and Saudi Arabia in the neighbouring kingdom. “A lot of waited here hoping they would allow us to reopened their land border on Qataris have relatives in Saudi Arabia,” he cross at any moment,” said Zaid QS a t u r d a y J a n 9 , said. Muhammad al-Marri, 23, a Qatari whose correspondents saw, as they restore ties “The coming days will be better,” mother is Saudi, ahead of the border following a landmark deal to end a three added the man, holding a negative reopening. and a half year rift. coronavirus test result in his hand. Qatar Saudi shut its side of Qatar's only has announced strict coronavirus control land border in June 2017 as part of a measures for those arriving from the Saudi Fresh SOPs issued package of sanctions it said was a side. Doha will require travellers to response to Doha's backing radical present a negative test result, undergo a for crew of direct Islamist groups and closeness to Iran. fresh test at the frontier and quarantine in a Qatar always denied the charges. government-approved hotel for one week. A Qatari source said that traffic at the A helicopter belonging to the Qatari flights from UK, Abu Samrah crossing, 120 kilometres (75 health service shuttled supplies between miles) south of Doha, resumed around Doha and the border, a correspondent South Africa 0700 GMT. reported. Saudi Arabia, along with the United As it was the weekend, cargo haulage The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, all of did not appear to have resumed. has issued a fresh standard operating which also imposed an embargo on travel procedure (SOP) for the crew of direct Qatari Hamad al-Marri, who also flights from the United Kingdom (UK), and trade, agreed to lift the restrictions at a drove a Land Cruiser, said he was excited Gulf Cooperation Council summit in the South Africa and category 'C' countries. to go hunting with falcons in Saudi Arabia, The authority has already imposed kingdom. a popular Gulf pastime. The day before the summit, Kuwaiti temporary restrictions on passengers “I will take a fortnight holiday there,” coming from the UK and South Africa. Foreign Minister Ahmad Nasser Al- he said. “I will go hunting and visit my Sabah had announced on state television Under the new guideline, the flight friends, whom we have not seen for more crew will only be allowed to travel to that a deal had been agreed to “open the than three and a half years. airspace and land and sea borders Pakistan from the UK, South Africa and between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia “I'll be reunited with my family and other countries categorised as 'C' if they and the State of Qatar”. everybody is happy that we can go to hold a negative PCR test certification Only a trickle of cars arrived at the Makkah and Medina.” The two Saudi conducted 72 hours prior to their travel to palm tree-lined, whitewashed border post cities are focal points of Islam and Qataris the country. to make the short crossing to the Saudi had struggled to undertake the Haj and T h e c r e w w i l l b e c l e a r e d side after news broke that the frontier had Umrah pilgrimages during the diplomatic expeditiously through relevant formalities reopened. rift. related to arrival/departure by the A smaller number made the journey Qatar and Saudi Arabia blamed each authorities concerned via separate gates from Saudi Arabia to Qatar, where strict other for the hurdles. and counters at airport. measures to fight the spread of the novel Several drivers gathered at a petrol The crew will be exempted from coronavirus have been imposed. station close to the Qatari exit point just testing on arrival. The exemption, “I'm very happy the border is open hours after the Kuwaiti announcement of a however, will be applicable to those again,” said Qatari Jaber al-Marri, as he detente between Qatar and its erstwhile displaying no Covid-19 symptoms. approached a checkpoint in his Land rivals. Under the fresh SOP, flight crew will Cruiser SUV, adding that he had relatives “It is a great joy, I bought this new car, directly be shifted to designated hotels on disembarkation at an airport. They will observe a mandatory quarantine in their rooms at the hotels. Any interaction beyond authorised limits will be forbidden for them. Moreover, any crew member having symptoms of Covid- 19 may be subjected to additional testing. The CAA said compliance with all additional restrictions specified by the health authorities upon arrival in Pakistan will be mandatory for the crew of direct flights from the UK, South Africa and other countries categorised as 'C'. The CAA has exempted travelers from 23 countries categorised as 'A' from the requirement of Covid-19 testing before entry into Pakistan. However, the category 'B' countries require the test 96 hours before commencement of their travel to Pakistan. Travelers from countries categorised as 'C' required a PCR test before traveling to Pakistan (96 hours) and would also need to take a mandatory RT-PCR test after landing in the country. FEBRUARY 2021 -17 then CAA director general to look into FIA to attach properties owned by procedural violations/irregularities in the examination process of flight crew licence and the then aviation secretary had Shaheen Air constituted an independent fact-finding committee to look into the matter. he Federal Investigation T h e T D A P o f f i c e r i n The committee had pointed out “connivance/collusion” with the exporters Agency has started the process deliberate violations of procedures on part of attaching properties owned issued authorisation to export containing T of IT/computer network officials of the by the Shaheen Airlines International fake/bogus E-Forms of three different (SAI), whose licence has been suspended banks in Karachi. CAA and their involvement in providing since 2018, as part of its investigations They exported 23-carat gold to the or facilitating unauthorised access to into a money laundering case against the UAE “without generating remittances computer-based test related to pilot management, it emerged. back to Pakistan”. The total financial licencing process. According to officials and documents impact on account of illegally/unlawfully A former employee of a flying reviewed by media, the FIA registered a exported gold on the basis of fake/bogus E- academy was identified as the major case against SAI in 2020 for causing a loss Forms was $515 million, he said. perpetrator of the crime during a personal of Rs2.1 billion to the Civil Aviation The FIA director said during the hearing of certain pilots conducted by the Authority. probe, it came on record that a property then CAA director general. Besides, the airline was also accused measuring 2,000 square yards was of causing a loss of Rs200 million to purchased in DHA's Phase-VIII by Sialkot Airport, FIA deputy director Rauf exporter Abdul Qadir alias Bhola. Travel curbs on Sheikh said. “He purchased the said property from The airline had also committed the proceeds of crime; thus he committed UK passengers 'wilful default' amounting to Rs11bn the offence of money laundering under against the Habib Bank Limited and Section 3 of the Anti-Money Laundering Rs50m wilful default against the United Act, 2010,” he said, adding that a case was extended Bank Limited, he said, adding the owners registered against him. established firms in the UAE and akistan on Monday 1st Feb. purchased properties in Pakistan and FIA arrests six in announced that it had extended abroad with this money. Ptravel restrictions on UK The director of FIA's Sindh zone, passengers till Jan 31 to prevent the spread Munir Ahmed Sheikh, said the FIA had pilots licences of a new strain of Covid-19 virus in the registered a case against SAI chief country. executive officer Ehsan Khalid Sehbai Travel restrictions were imposed on and eight other directors on July 13, 2020 scam UK passengers till Jan 4 after the on charges of alleged misappropriation of emergence of the new strain that was amount payable to CAA. he Federal Investigation spreading rapidly in England. The He said subsequently the suspects Agency (FIA) has completed measure was intended to restrict the “laundered the proceeds of crime” in Tan inquiry into 'dubious' spread of the coronavirus variant in different bank accounts in Pakistan and licences of commercial pilots and Pakistan. abroad. They purchased properties with registered three cases against 40 pilots, The restrictions will be effective for the proceeds of crime, he alleged. eight officials of the Civil Aviation all Pakistani nationals with short-term UK An application filed by the FIA Authority's (CCA) licencing branch and a and South African visit visas and before the district and sessions court, private person and arrested six persons Pakistanis holding work permits. Under Malir, said: “It is respectfully prayed allegedly involved in the dubious pilot the curbs, these Pakistani nationals would before this Hon'ble Court that prior licences scam. have to follow SOPs and produce a permission under the sections 8(1) of the Among those arrested by the FIA's negative PCR test result conducted within Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Act 2010 corporate crime circle, Karachi, are a pilot 72 hours prior to their travel to Pakistan. may kindly be accorded for provisional and five officials of the CAA's licencing Diplomats and their families may also attachment of the properties involved in branch. Efforts are being made by the FIA travel to Pakistan from the UK and South money laundering.” to arrest the remaining accused. Africa after a negative PCR test result conducted within 72 hours prior to their The FIA director said the court had Those arrested are: Khalid Mehmood, granted approval to the FIA. travel to Pakistan. However, they and their acting additional director, licencing families will be subjected to PCR test Case against jewellery exporter branch, CAA; Faisal Manzoor Ansari and Separately, the FIA lodged a money upon arrival and quarantine/isolation Asif-ur-Haq, senior joint directors, within their respective embassies/high laundering case against a gold jewellery licensing branch; Mohammad Mahmood exporter. commissions for a time period as specified Hussain, additional director, licencing by relevant health authorities. The FIA director said investigations b r a n c h ; A b d u l R a e e s , s e n i o r against a former deputy director of the The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority Trade Development Authority of Pakistan superintendent of HR-licencing branch; (PCAA) said that exemptions provided to (TDAP), Mohammed Shakeel, and six and pilot Mohammad Saqlain Ali. diplomats and Overseas Pakistanis gold exporters of different firms were The Aviation Division had referred holding valid NICOP or Pakistan Origin launched as the official had allowed cases against five officials of the CAA to Card for having stayed in the UK or South registration of the firms as exporters of the FIA to initiate an inquiry against the Africa for over the last 10 days prior to gold jewellery, silver jewellery, officials involved in malpractices in travel, would continue and new precious/semi-precious stones and issuance of flight crew licences. restrictions for them would be effective p l a t i n u m j e w e l l e r y “ w i t h o u t The Supreme Court had directed the from Jan 9 to Jan 31. observing/completing codal formalities”.

18 - FEBRUARY 2021 determine the ownerships of the land along Walton airport likely to be shifted with details on ongoing litigation on it. Although the committee had agreed to task the LDA with thrashing out various options for establishment of an environment-friendly economic hub at the present airport site, the Punjab cabinet recently discussed whether the initiative should be spearheaded by the LDA or the proposed Lahore Central Business District Development Authority. The cabinet eventually granted approval in principle to establish the business district authority. Pakistan to stop manual visas from next month

The Punjab government has started working on shifting the Walton airport to a far-off piece of government land owing to potential safety risks at the existing site. akistan will stop issuing manual visas from next month possibility of relocating Walton airport. he Punjab government has Pand has asked non-resident started working on shifting the The Lahore Development Authority Pakistanis and others interested in Walton airport to a far-off (LDA) vice chairman (VC) had stated in travelling to the country to apply online T the meeting that the current location of the for electronic or e-visas. piece of government land owing to potential safety risks at the existing site airport posed a serious security risk due to “In compliance with the instructions that may also be used to promote business the densely populated residential and of the government of Pakistan for activities. commercial areas around it. He had told complete implementation of E-visa the meeting that the Taavun project, with a regime, Embassy of Pakistan and its Prime Minister Imran Khan has proposed height of 500ft, fell within the personally directed the Punjab consulates across the United States will funnel area of Walton airport, owing to stop the issuance of manual visa from Feb government to ascertain viability of which the CAA had cancelled the NOC. shifting Walton airport, the way forward 1, 2021,” said a notification issued by the for Abu Dhabi Group's Taavun high-rise He proposed to relocate the airport Pakistan Embassy in Washington on project on Ferozepur Road and the and convert the existing site to an Thursday 28 Jan. proposed Walton Central Business economic/business hub. Stressing that an “Visa applicants are, therefore, District project. increasing business appetite is being advised to submit their applications online witnessed regarding high-rise buildings in The Walton airport land is owned by at http://visa.nadra.gov.pk/,” the embassy Lahore and the current LDA policies added. the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), promoted such buildings, the VC said: Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Army and A senior embassy official told media “The Walton airport, however, continues that this change applies to all Pakistani Army Housing Directorate. The plan to to be a stumbling block in the shift it had emerged when the CAA had missions and embassies across the globe development of high-rise buildings in will stop issuing manual visas from Feb 1. cancelled a No-Objection Certificate prime location of Lahore.” (NOC) issued for 500 feet in height to the Pakistan stopped issuing manual Taavun project, which has been In the same meeting, the CAA passports several years ago. deadlocked for over 14 years. representative endorsed the relocation proposal. Currently, he said, only 150ft Embassies also no longer receive Existing site to be made a business high buildings were permissible. “If the applications for national identity cards hub Walton airport is relocated by offering and other similar documents. All these Prime Minister Khan had sought a alternate land for the airport, a maximum services are now available online. The briefing from Punjab Chief Secretary height of 700ft will be allowable in the change will affect millions of Pakistanis Jawwad Rafique Malik a couple of vicinity of Lahore,” the representative living in North America and Europe, months ago and given an executive order said, adding that various activities such as particularly in the countries that do not to shift the Walton airport and allow para-jumping could be initiated at the new allow dual citizenship. business activities on the airport site and airport site. Even in countries like Australia, its surroundings, a reliable source in the T h e m e e t i n g e n d o r s e d t h e Britain, Canada and the United States, Punjab cabinet told media as the matter perspectives of the LDA and CAA which allow dual citizenship, people was discussed in the province's apex representatives. prefer to travel on visas stamped on their body. The government committee agreed in current passports. Traveling on passports The Punjab government had principle to relocate the Walton airport and of their country of origin often invokes constituted a committee for ascertaining that the CAA consider conditional suspicion. the feasibility and way forward for approval to the NOC for 500ft in height for “It is good for those who are Taavun and the proposed business district Taavun so that the project could be re- computer savvy and are good at filling out project. The committee's maiden meeting initiated on fast track. forms,” said Saadat Ali, a Pakistani- towards the end of last year was briefed by American in Germantown, Maryland. the chief secretary that the premier The Board of Revenue senior member, colonies member, the Lahore “But there are many who cannot. We need wanted an update in a week on the some system to help them out.” cancellation of the NOC to Taavun and the Commissioner were instructed to FEBRUARY 2021 - 19 20 - FEBRUARY 2021 on the retrieved fan blade also shows that Indonesia recovers first black box from the engine was still working” at the time of the crash. The crash probe was likely to crashed plane take months, but a preliminary report was expected in 30 days. o f b o a t s a n d helicopters flying IATA: 2020 was over small islands off the capital's coast. The agency the worst year in deployed a remotely operated vehicle to history for air assist the divers. Scores of body bags filled with human travel demand remains were being taken to a police he International Air Transport m o r g u e w h e r e Association (IATA) has f o r e n s i c Tannounced full-year global investigators hope to passenger traffic results, revealing identify victims by revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) fell m a t c h i n g Members of Indonesia's transportation safety committee place a box containing by 65.9% because of the pandemic spread. the flight data recorder of Sriwijaya Air flight into a container after a press fingerprints or DNA It is the sharpest ever air travel decline in conference recently. The recorder was retrieved from the Java Sea, where the with distraught commercial aviation history. passenger jet crashed. relatives some held In 2020, international passenger o u t h o p e o f black box from the crashed demand was 75.6% below 2019 levels. survivors. Capacity (measured in revenue passenger Indonesian passenger jet has “We haven't accepted it yet,” Inda been recovered, officials said kilometers) reduced 68.1% percent, and A Gunawan said of his brother Didik Gunardi load factor decreased to just 62.8% from recently, a discovery that could offer who was on the doomed Saturday flight. critical clues to explaining why the plane 82%. Domestic air traffic in 2020 was “Our family is still hoping for a down 48.8% compared to 2019. with 62 people aboard slammed into the miracle that he is still alive.” Authorities sea. “Last year was a catastrophe,” said have identified flight attendant Okky Alexandre de Juniac, IATA's CEO. “There Divers just off the coast of the capital Bisma, 29, as the first confirmed victim Jakarta hauled the jet's flight data recorder is no other way to describe it. What after matching fingerprints from a recovery there was over the Northern to the surface, as the hunt continues for its retrieved hand to those in a government cockpit voice recorder. hemisphere summer season stalled in identity database. autumn, and the situation turned Indonesian transport minister Budi “Rest in peace up there darling and dramatically worse over the year-end Karya Sumadi told a live television wait for me... in heaven,” Okky Bisma's holiday season, as more severe travel briefing that the box had been found after wife Aldha Refa wrote on Instagram. restrictions were imposed in the face of the Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737-500 There were 10 children among the new outbreaks and new strains of COVID- plunged about 10,000 feet in less than a passengers on the half-full plane, which 19.” minute before slamming into the Java Sea had experienced pilots at the controls as it on Saturday. left Jakarta bound for Pontianak city on Many have had hopes for the Borneo island on a 90-minute flight. beginning of 2021, but future ticket A reporter on a navy ship said bookings do not look promising in investigators started picking up strong A transport safety agency investigator has said the crew did not declare an January, they were 70% down compared signals from an area where they were to the same period last year. If heavy travel searching, with divers able to retrieve the emergency or report technical problems with the plane before its dive, and that the restrictions remain unchanged, there is a box in about an hour from the wreckage- risk that the demand will improve just littered seabed. 737 was likely intact when it hit the water. Search-and-rescue agency chief 13% over 2020 levels, and the industry So far authorities have been unable to itself would be only at 38% of 2019 levels. explain why the 26-year-old plane Soerjanto Tjahjono crashed just four minutes after takeoff. echoed that view earlier Black box data which record Tuesday, pointing to the information about the speed, altitude and relatively small area direction of the plane as well as flight where debris was crew conversations helps explain nearly scattered in about 23 90 percent of all crashes, according to metres (75 feet) of aviation experts. water. Sumadi added officials believe the “ T h e s i z e i s consistent with the cockpit voice recorder is nearby that of assumption that the flight data recorder. “We strongly believe plane didn't explode it'll be found soon,” he said. before hitting the Some 3,600 personnel are taking part water,” he added. in the recovery effort, assisted by dozens “The damage seen

FEBRUARY 2021 - 21 Al-Khalil Centre, Suite No. 12,-14, 3rd Floor, Kashmir Road, Sialkot = Pakistan. Tel No. 0092 52 3240608, 0092 52 3242110, 0092 52 3242109, 0092 52 3252110 Web: www.saf.com.pk Email: [email protected]

22 - FEBRUARY 2021 grounded last year due to the Covid-19 Malaysian court releases PIA`s pandemic. After it resumed operations in May 2019, a domestic PIA flight crash in Karachi killed 97 of the 99 people on grounded plane board. Pakistan's aviation industry was then hit by a scandal in which pilots were the agreement to provide lease found to hold dubious licences prompting management services to Peregrine, has a number of countries to ban PIA from declined to make any comment. Lawyers operating flights in their jurisdictions. The for Peregrine did not immediately respond airline was banned from flying to the to a request for comment. European Union for six months over Flight back home safety compliance concerns under a ban Pakistan's national carrier is now still in place. readying a crew for the plane to resume a passenger flight home, its spokesman, Abdullah Hafeez Khan, said. Gulf Air to start Malaysian court has ordered Earlier on January 15, the airline immediate release of a tweeted: “A PIA aircraft has been held European long- APakistan International back by a local court in Malaysia taking a Airlines (PIA) plane that had been seized one-sided decision pertaining to a legal last month by the authorities over a dispute between PIA and another party haul flights with London court case about the jet's lease pending in a UK court. The passengers are after the applicant, Peregrine Aviation being looked after and alternate Charlie Ltd, agreed to withdraw its suit arrangements for their travel have been Airbus A321LR against PIA Corporation. finalised. The Boeing 777 aircraft was seized “It is an unacceptable situation and on Jan 15 soon after landing at Kuala PIA has engaged support from the Lumpur International Airport on the government of Pakistan to take up this orders of a local court that allowed an matter using diplomatic channels.” application by lessor Peregrine Aviation The PIA spokesperson while Charlie Limited to keep it grounded until commenting on the legal dispute told the result of a $14 million lease dispute media that it was a “payment dispute ahrain's flag-carrier Gulf Air with PIA in Britain. between us and the party Peregrine” that announced it would start On Wednesday Jan 27, the Kuala had been filed in the UK courts about six Blong-haul operations to Lumpur High Court ordered the release months ago. He refused to give further Europe with the Airbus A321LR (long after both sides apprised it they had details on the dispute, adding that the range) aircraft, as it was recently reached an amicable settlement of the Malaysian court took an “ex-parte delivered from the Airbus centre in dispute, involving two planes leased to decision causing inconvenience to the Germany. PIA, a lawyer for the airline said. passengers who had already boarded the “The aircraft [Airbus A321neoLR - “Peregrine has agreed to withdraw plane”. ed.note] will operate long-haul European its suit against Pakistan International Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam routes as well as a selection of GCC Airlines Corp (PIAC) and for the Sarwar Khan told a presser that the PIA destinations,” Gulf Air announced in a injunction orders to be set aside,” said its and the Peregrine Aviation Charlie statement. lawyer, Kwan Will Sen. Limited leasing firm had agreed on an out- The new Gulf Air Airbus A321LR “With this, the two Boeing aircraft of-court settlement for the PIA plane landed at its new home at Bahrain operated by PIAC would be released with seized at the Kuala Lumpur Airport. International Airport (BAH) on February immediate effect.” He said after paying the default 5, 2021. According to the interim injunction, money, it was expected that the Boeing The aircraft is the second of the 17 PIA was restrained from moving the two 777 would be flown back to Pakistan. A321neo aircraft order the airline has. aircraft in its fleet Boeing 777-200ER The minister blamed the previous The new Airbus A321neoLR is designed with serial number 32716 and Boeing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML- with the 70th anniversary Golden Falcon 777-200ER with serial number 32717 N) government for acquiring the two livery, which gives the jet a vintage look. once they have landed or parked at Kuala planes in 2015 on an 'expensive' lease that The latest Gulf Air's delivery also Lumpur International Airport until a the national carrier failed to pay on time introduces 16 new flat-bed seats and 150 further hearing on the matter. due to Covid-19 pandemic. economy class seats. Tracking data from Flightradar24 He said the Malaysian court issued an “This addition will strengthen our showed only one of the two Boeing 777s order without listening to arguments of position in the medium to long haul covered by the court order is currently in PIA. markets as it represents an upgraded Kuala Lumpur. The other was last About financial problems, the product to offer best in class service to our recorded in Karachi last month. minister said PIA was facing issues due to passengers,” Zayed R. Alzayani, The two jets, leased in 2015 by poor policies of previous governments as Chairman of Gulf Air's Board of Dublin-based AerCap, the world's largest they made unnecessary political Directors, said in a statement. aircraft lessor, are part of a fleet it sold to appointments even on fake degrees that Gulf Air's A321neoLR is powered by Peregrine Aviation Co Ltd, an investment ruined the organisation. CFM LEAP-1A engines and is eco- unit of NCB Capital, the brokerage arm of With more than $4 billion in friendly, as it delivers up to 20% fuel burn National Commercial Bank SJSC, in accumulated losses, PIA had already been reduction per seat, up to 14% lower cash 2018. struggling financially when flights were operating costs per seat as well as 50% AerCap, which continued as part of noise reduction.

FEBRUARY 2021 - 23 24 - FEBRUARY 2021 FEBRUARY 2021 - 25 YG Cargo Airlines starts freighter service to Pakistan

G Cargo Airline operates 4 about the airlines and its services at a Chinese Cargo airlines based in Hangzhou flights a week from KMG reception held at Movenpick Hotel China. It was founded in 2015. It has 12 Y(China) to Karachi and 4 Karachi recently. He said that YG Cargo aircrafts and operates to 21 destinations. flight to Lahore, using Boeing 757 F airlines has appointed Xpress Aviation as Xpress Aviation headed by Mr. M. Ilyas aircraft. Now the airlines has started CSS (Cargo Sales & Service) Agent in was established more then a decade ago booking of export cargo from Pakistan and has a rich experience of handling Pakistan. He further said "CSS for the every kinds of cargo. It also has a vast effective 23rd February 2021. The airlines airlines will accept cargo only through experience in operating chartered cargo covers 21 destinations. This was told by IATA cargo agents, it will not accept flights from Pakistan to various countries. Mr. M. Ilyas CEO Xpress Aviation CSS directly from the shipper etc." Xpress Aviation is one of the active for YG Cargo airlines in Pakistan. YG (YTO Cargo Airlines Co. Ltd.) cargo airlines marking company. Mr. M. Ilyas briefed the cargo agents operating as YTO Cargo airlines, is a

Mr. Humayun Qamar and Mr. Farrukh Iqbal Mr. M. Ilyas, Mr. M. Sohail and Mr. Wahab Sohail. Mr. M. Ilyas and Mr. Talha Ilyas.

Former Chairman ACAAP Mr. Mohsin A Dharsi. Former Chairman PIFFA Mr. Izhar ul Haq Qamar Mr. Munir Paracha. and Mr. M. Ilyas

26 - FEBRUARY 2021 Mr. Muhammad Ilyas, CEO Xpress Aviation CSS YG Cargo Airlines breifing the cargo agents at a reception recently held at Movenpick Hotel Karachi.

FEBRUARY 2021 - 27 28 - FEBRUARY 2021 FEBRUARY 2021 - 29 Emirates' self check-in screens are now fully touchless

AE carrier Emirates has desk with a check-in agent. The airline is upgraded its self-check-in looking to place more kiosks in other areas Ufacilities to become fully for first and business class passengers at its touchless. The change comes as the airline home in Terminal 3 of Dubai International looks to improve its contactless journey Airport. through Dubai International Airport as the Part of the contactless journey world continues to cope with the COVID- These latest enhancements to the check-in experience come as part of 19 pandemic. Emirates' shift to introduce a smart contactless journey through the airport at Dubai International. Biometric facial recognition is playing a vital role in this experience. Emirates previously integrated a contactless Currently, passengers can clear pathway through the airport using biometrics. immigration, enter the Emirates lounges, time. Indeed, it was the first airline outside and board some flights purely with their of the United States to receive approval for face. The airline is actively investigating biometric boarding from Customs and more points where it can implement facial Border Protection. recognition to reduce contact points during Of course, if passengers still wish to the passenger journey. At immigration, the undergo manual checks at each stage, this airline is trialing a 'smart tunnel' where remains an option. Emirates has rolled out a contactless check-in authorities can clear passengers by merely What do you make of Emirates' new experience at Dubai International Airport. walking through. contactless check-in experience? Let us There's no doubt about it. The COVID-19 Emirates has been interested in know what you think and why in the pandemic has fundamentally changed the simplifying the passenger experience with comments! face of the aviation industry. Across the biometric facial recognition for quite some world, wearing masks in airports and flights has gone from being an occasional personal choice to being mandated for European Plan for Aviation Safety every passenger. Airlines and Airports have also been working together to try and 2021-2025 published remove contact points between passengers and employees. Touchless check-in PAS sets out the strategic Emirates has been working to reduce priorities and enablers, and contact points between passengers and the main risks affecting the staff at Dubai International Airport. As the E COVID-19 virus is transmitted by touch European aviation system, while also and person to person contact, the airline defining the necessary actions to mitigate has been working to reduce in-person the risks, with the paramount objective of interactions and the need for many people further improving aviation safety. to touch the same surfaces. This is behind the airline's latest check-in upgrade. The Plan provides a coherent and Saying Goodbye To The Qantas 747 transparent framework for safety Stay informed: Sign up for our daily management, both at the State and the aviation news digest. regional level. Self-check-in machines at Dubai EPAS is a key component of the International Airport are now touchless. Passengers using the 16 check-in kiosks Commission's European Aviation Safety can control the apparatus using a mobile Programme (EASP), supporting the goals device to scan a QR code displayed. The and objectives of the ICAO Global passenger can then check-in, receive their boarding pass, choose seats, and drop Aviation Safety Plan (GASP) for the their bag without touching the screen. benefit of all 55 in the ICAO EUR Region. The bag tags will be printed off by the The new edition includes 170 actions, The European Union Aviation Safety Agency machine and can be taken and attached to among which the rulemaking actions have (EASA) published the 10th edition of the European the bags before sending them on their way. been revised to alleviate the stakeholder's Plan for Aviation Safety (EPAS) covering 2021 - Passengers may still be prompted to scan 2025. their passport on the device. However, burden during the unprecedented crisis the with careful finger placement, touching aviation sector is facing now. A new areas and the associated safety issues the machine itself can still be avoided. section has been included to provide more affecting the European aviation system. Given travel requirements, passengers For more information please see the context on the COVID-19 impact on the traveling to the United States, Canada, European Plan for Aviation Safety 2021- China, India, and Hong Kong cannot use European aviation sector. Furthermore, a 2025. the contactless machines. They must use a new Volume III now reflects the key risk

30 - FEBRUARY 2021 FEBRUARY 2021 - 31 Pegasus Airlines CEO, Mehmet services to city with three flights per Lufthansa cuts Nane, has been elected as Chair of the week, operated by an Airbus A320 Audit Committee of the International Air offering 12 seats in business class and 120 first class on all Transport Association (IATA) by the seats in economy. members of the IATA Board of Governors. Qatar Airways Group, chief US routes until at executive, Akbar Al Baker said: “We are excited to resume scheduled flights to Moscow. least May “Having become the largest international carrier during the early stages of the pandemic, has enabled us to accumulate unrivalled experience of how to safely and reliably carry passengers “Our wide network of flights during these challenging times has ensured we have kept up to date with the latest in Mehmet Nane international airport procedures and Nane will serve as the Chair of the implemented the most advanced safety Audit Committee for a three-year term, and hygiene measures on board our which began on 19 January 2021. aircraft and in our home and hub, Hamad Lufthansa will continue to offer no First Class on “The global aviation industry is International Airport. flights to the USA until at least May 2021. experiencing its most challenging period, “We have been the airline passengers ufthansa pulled its Boeing unprecedented in history,” commented can rely on during this crisis and we will 747-8s from flights to the U.S. Nane. continue to ensure the safest and most Lin 2020. Lufthansa used to “During such a period, I am proud to reliable experience for our passengers as offer first-class on flights to Chicago and have been chosen for this important role global travel recovers.” Los Angeles. However, since November and to carry this great responsibility. No The national carrier of Qatar 1st, these routes have been operated with matter how difficult the conditions are; as continues to rebuild its network, which the Airbus A350-900. IATA, we will continue to work tirelessly currently stands at over 120 destinations The German carrier had initially with the aim of helping the airline industry planned to operate Boeing 747-8s on its with plans to increase to over 130 by the Frankfurt to Chicago route from March operate safely, securely, efficiently, and end of March. 30th but this has now been extended by economically under clearly defined rules. several weeks. “As the global aviation industry, we PIA starts lifting All Lufthansa Boeing 747-8s are will continue to work with great effort, outfitted with eight first-class seats in the jointly with our valuable partners, to kinnow cargo for nose of the aircraft. However, the Airbus overcome these difficult days all A350s only has a three-class together.” configuration. UK Even without the global travel restrictions due to the corona pandemic, Qatar Airways to ollowing the government's demand for transatlantic winter and efforts to promote exports, the spring flights is weak, as business travel is return to Moscow FPakistan International Airlines minimal. (PIA) has started lifting kinnow cargo for the United Kingdom. Mehmet Nane next month A PIA spokesman said that in line with the government's policy to increase export, the PIA had started delivery of elected chair of Pakistani kinnows to Manchester after two decades. the IATA Audit He said that 2,200kg of kinnows were exported by PIA's first cargo flight Committee PK9701 as the PIA would not regularly carry kinnow cargo. Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan had issued special instructions Qatar Airways has announced it will regarding promotion of cargo as the PIA be resuming services to Moscow, Russia, will play its full role in the government's from March 2nd. policy of promoting the country's exports. Via its hub in Doha, the carrier will Pakistan has registered a record begin connecting once again with increase in export of fruits and vegetables destinations such as Maldives and during 2019-20, despite the coronavirus Zanzibar. global pandemic and earned the highest The airline is to resume scheduled International Air Transport Association logo revenue in terms of foreign exchange.

32 - FEBRUARY 2021 FEBRUARY 2021 - 33 Multan's mangoes and multinationals

istory has bestowed Multan kept to 25 feet against earlier 40 to 50 feet. with many gifts: it is known It creates space for trees and improves the Has a city of saints, the town quality of fruit. Mango demand has has been continuously inhabited for more multiplied because of the juices launched than 2,000 years and located in an area by multinationals and these damage- dating back to the Harapan civilization it control measures have sustained has always been a part of world-acclaimed production for five years; in 2015, it was Indus Civilisation. Not only history, but 2.20 million tonnes and 2.24m tonnes in its natural endowments have been unique 2020, he says. as well. The livestock resume of the district is Falling on the bank of Chenab, after Falling on the bank of Chenab, after the not less impressive either. According to the confluence of two more rivers, its confluence of two more rivers, its riverine area is the Pakistan Economic Survey, the riverine area is huge and its land is huge and its land is enormously fertile. district currently houses 1.47m large enormously fertile. Benefitting from these animals (634,432 buffalos and 836,260 gifts, the city earned the distinction of capital and human effort intensive job, Dr cattle) and 0.979m small animals being the agricultural capital of Punjab, Asif explains. 879,966 goats and 99,120 sheep. The feeding the world with the finest varieties The Punjab Development Statistics local livestock officials claim that the of mango and historically driving the quantify the loss. The mango acreage has dairy sector is also transforming from textile industry with premium cotton. dropped by 6,850 hectares in four years small and individual farming to big and However, Multan's modern woes are (2015-19) from 85,640 hectares to 78,790 commercial farms. daunting. It suffered geographical losses hectares, or a loss of over 8 per cent. Out of In the last few years, 14 large (over when three districts were created out of it it, around a loss of 5,000 hectares occurred 100 animals) dairy farms have come up Vehari in 1976, Khanewal in 1985 and in 2019 alone, because the slide has and around 60 smaller (of 50 animals) Lodhran in 1991. What is left of Multan, gathered pace. In the same period, cotton ones as a multinational set up a milk plant for decades known as a “rural city”, is now lost around 16,000 hectares from 173,000 (adjacent Kabirwala) and started milk transforming into an un-planned urban to 157,000 hectares, or a loss of nearly collection in the district, says Dr jungle threatening its agricultural 10pc. The farmers and their representative Muhammad Majid. Right now, the identity. bodies think that these figures understate department is surveying the district for the reality, which, otherwise, is far worse. Hundreds of housing schemes around updating livestock statistics, which would it are wiping out thousands of acres of During this period, rice and sugarcane certainly present a better picture, he mango orchards and cotton fields. Despite expanded a bit, but their gain came at the hopes. being on the bank of a river, the district's cost to other crops if local farmers are to be believed. “The major sufferer of housing Water woes of Multan are identified water level is dropping at a breathtaking by a recent report by the Irrigation pace threatening its agriculture like never schemes has been mango, followed by cotton,” says Major Tariq Khan, a local Department. It categorises the Multan before. zone (an irrigational administrative unit Official data tells the true story of farmer. Mango is being shifted to fellow lands further down but cotton's loss seems and the district being part of it) as one of urban expansion. In the last few years, 185 the most critical areas of the province. The illegal schemes have come up along will to be permanent, at least for now, he explains. aquifer level has gone to a minimum of 50 38 legal ones around the city. The Defence feet: at some points, it is even at 80 feet or Housing Authority (DHA) is leading the However, Multan seems to be gaining on the industrial front what it lost on the more. This is despite the colossal recharge way: already perched on over 15,000 from River Chenab, which is joined by acres, it is planning an expansion at the agricultural side. As per the Punjab Development Statistics, the agro- two other rivers Ravi and Jehlum before same level. Wapda Town has also cost the entering Multan district. city another few thousand acres. Other industrial units in the district grew from guzzlers like Bahria Town are following 116 in 2006 to 456 in 2017. In the last few This three-river recharge has not the suite and bulldozing thousands of years, as energy crisis subsided and road helped the Multan district because its acres of orchards out of existence. Where network improved (double motorway 11,500 tube wells are pumping out water these giants pause, hundreds of small connectivity), the pace of agro-industry at a greater pace than these rivers can landowners start with smaller schemes. has quickened. In addition to a number of recharge. According to the report, the “This entire land was once mango textile and fertiliser units, mango value- level is now going down by more than a orchards, encircling the city. Now, addition (juices, pulping, drying, export foot every year. housing societies run miles after miles. treatment) has emerged as a huge industry. Though geographical clipping has These societies would take decades to get During the same period, plants of shrunk physical boundaries of the district fully inhabited but the loss to decades-old multinational companies for chips, and demographic changes are threatening orchards is done,” explains Dr macaroni and pasta etc dot the district. its historical agricultural status, these Muhammad Asif, vice-chancellor of The city is also recovering its mango factors have certainly not dampened its Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture. losses. Shahzad Sabir, a local agriculture influence: it still drives the sector in more These lands were fully developed in an officer, says the twin-trends have helped ways than one. With two universities agricultural sense, as peri-urban areas mango recovery: orchards are now being (Bahauddin Zikria and Nawaz Sharif) always are because of developed shifted to the eastern side of the city, which producing hundreds of graduates every infrastructure access roads, water is still relatively safe, and a massive year, two national research institutes management system, easy access and improvement has been seen in orchard serving and saving cotton, another nearby service providers. The developers management. “Against historical 40 to 50 research institute dedicated to mango and have denuded the lands of it all. Other trees per acre, the population has now yet another one working on agriculture pieces of land will be developed to grown to over 150 per acre as the spread is mechanisation, the importance of the compensate for the loss, but it is time, controlled through pruning and height is district is felt far and beyond.

34 - FEBRUARY 2021 Utilise Gwadar Brisk cargo Port for transit handling at ports The Karachi Port Trust (KPT) trade with Kabul handled a total cargo volume of 692,572 tonnes comprising 497,715 tonnes of import cargo and 194,857 tonnes of export cargo from Feb 1 to 4. According to data issued from the Federal Railways Minister Azam Swati visits the KPT, the import volume of containerised KCR tracks near Gulbai along with Pakistan cargo stood at 220,916 tonnes, followed Railways officers on Saturday 9 Jan. by 175,533 tonnes of oil and liquid cargo. entity. KPT handled 30,371 tonnes of imported Mr Swati said that he had earlier also wheat followed by 29,435 tonnes of bulk visited the schools and hospitals, cargo, 11,167 tonnes of canola, 18,300 including the Hasan Hospital, that fall Cargo trucks are seen parked at the Gwadar Port tonnes of rock phosphate, 9,674 tonnes of under the PR administration. He also resident Dr Arif Alvi on soyabean seeds and 2,319 tonnes of iron shared his intentions of outsourcing the Wednesday Jan. 6 underlined and steel scrap. two in order to provide best educational Pthe need of utilising Gwadar Export volume consisted of 165,242 and medical facilities to Railways' Port as a free zone area for transit trade tonnes of containerised cargo and 29,365 employees and their children. with Afghanistan and Balochistan in tonnes of clinkers mainly followed by 250 In addition, the minister also visited addition to Karachi ports. tonnes of oil and liquid cargo. the diesel shed at Cantonment Railway He said that the speedy flow of traffic Some 24 ships namely MP The Station, City Station and various other at Gwadar port must be ensured. He urged Balichick, Leo Paramount, Tiger Integrity, smaller stations and halts that fall in the the authorities to accelerate development AS Sicilia, MT Shalamar, Conti Coutage, Karachi Circular Railway loop and the activities and remove any hindrances in Sky Ploeg, CMA CGM Titus, DA Gui, Green Line interchange area. this regard through consensus-building Attalia, Cosco Roterdam, Mutriba, Kota While replying to a question and consultation with the relevant regarding encroachment on Railways' stakeholders. Nilam, Nordic Callao, Teer Bhum, WM Excellence, Al Mahboobah, LMZ Phoebe, land, the Minister said that Pakistan The president made these remarks at OEL Kedernath, Lime Galaxy, Hong Railways will not tolerate any kind of a briefing on progress work about the Kong Express, Ever Dainty, Shorthorn encroachment or squatters on its land. He Master Plan of Gwadar city and also thanked the chief justice of Pakistan operationalisation of Gwadar Port, a Express and Regina took berth. press release issued by Presidents Media Meanwhile, Port Qasim handled a for stepping in to do the needful on the Wing said. total cargo volume of 488,307 tonnes matter. He was briefed by Chairman Gwadar comprising 382,890 tonnes of import Port Authority (GPA) Naseer Khan cargo and 111,417 tonnes of export cargo Karachi port Kashani and Director General Gwadar including 9,037 loaded and empty Development Authority (GDA) Shahzaib containers (TEUs) during Feb 1-4. Khan Kakar regarding development Wheat, steel coil, coal, palm oil, palm handles 1.9m works on Gwadar Port and Gwadar City kernel, liquefied natural gas (LNG), gas respectively. oil and containerised cargo were handled tonnes of cargo Mr Alvi said that strategy and vision at the port during this period. were essential for the successful he Karachi Port Trust handled completion and operationalisation of PR freight volume a total of 1.941 million tonnes national projects like Gwadar port. Tof cargo comprising 326,869 He lamented the slow pace of tonnes of export and 867,501 tonnes of development in Gwadar in the past and to double soon import during Jan 25-29. underscored the need for timely The export cargo included 93,123 completion of all infrastructure and ederal Minister for Railways tonnes of clinkers followed by 24,168 industry related projects on the port as per Mohammad Azam Khan Swati the given timelines. tonnes of cement while oil and liquid Fheld a press conference at the cargo included 33,715 tonnes. Around The president was briefed about the divisional superintendent's office at the 175,763 tonnes of containerised cargo 19km Eastbay Expressway along the port City Railway Station here on Saturday Jan. which will connect with the Coastal 9 where he revealed that Pakistan was also handled. Highway and help carry cargo without Railways' freight volume will be doubled In imports, oil and liquid cargo held a disturbing the local population of very soon. major share with 244,430 tonnes followed Gwadar. He was also briefed about the 60 According to the minister, at present by 235,487 tonnes each comprising acres free zone area in Gwadar which will containerised and bulk cargoes. Import of include recreational facilities, hospitals, the annual freight revenue of Pakistan schools and multiple industries. Railways is Rs11 billion and that would be canola, rock phosphate, soyabean seeds and wheat at the Karachi Port during the He advised both GDA and GPA that doubled. “If I cannot expand freight the needs of local fishermen should also service, then Railways will break up and week stood at 29,543 tonnes, 27,409 be accounted for in the master plan. crumble,” said the minister as he promised tonnes, 28,762 tonnes respectively along He also thanked the Chinese to enhance the Railways' freight earnings. with 57,018 tonnes of wheat. Government for constructing state-of- He said that it was one of his prime Arrival of DAP and iron & steel scrap the-art China Business Centre (CBC) in targets to completely overcome the losses stood at 3,609 tonnes and 4,874 tonnes, Gwadar. of PR and transform it into a profit-earning respectively.

FEBRUARY 2021 - 35 Textile exports Speed breakers and a long corridor reached historic nordinate delay in the crucial special economic zones (SEZs) but the high in Dec. 10th meeting of the Joint pace of work remains very slow. So far, ICooperation Committee (JCC) of Pakistan has started work on three e x t i l e e x p o r t s d u r i n g the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor industrial zones Rashakai in Khyber December 2020 increased by (CPEC) means that progress on bilateral Pakhtunkhwa, Allama Iqbal Industrial City T22.72 per cent to a historic industrial cooperation and the $6.8 billion in Punjab, and Dhabeji in Sindh. high of $1.401 billion compared to According to Mian Kashif Ashfaque, the $1.14bn in the corresponding month of railway project connecting Peshawar with last year, latest data released by the Karachi would most likely remain in chairman of the Faisalabad Industrial Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on Friday limbo in 2021. Since JCC has the mandate Estate Development and Management Jan 15 showed. to make decisions on the inclusion of any Company (FIEDMC), which is developing On a month-on-month basis, the new project into the ambit of the CPEC the SEZ near Faisalabad, 32 Chinese firms country's exports during the month framework besides tracking progress on have so far invested in industries ranging increased by 9.20pc. the execution of ongoing projects under from ceramic tiles to chemicals. “But these On a cumulative basis, the textile the multi-billion-dollar corridor initiative, companies have not 'relocated' under the exports increased by 7.79pc to $7.442bn in July-December against $6.904bn in the other transport infrastructure schemes CPEC framework; they have invested same period last year, the data showed. Islamabad has proposed for inclusion in directly (to take advantage of the Pakistani The textile commodities that the CPEC framework may also hit an market and growing local demand for their contributed to positive trade growth indefinite delay. products). We have now set aside almost included knitwear, exports of which There are a number of reasons for the 1,000 acres of land exclusively for the increased to $1.849bn during 1HFY21 frequent postponement of the JCC Chinese companies which will relocate compared to $1.586bn last year. Likewise, meeting since April last year. Officially, here as part of the industrial cooperation bedwear exports increased by 16.38pc to $1.394bn; towels exports increased by the Covid-19 health crisis is blamed for plan under the corridor initiative.” 17.47pc to $445.709 million. the delay but there have been credible Another report suggests that China The exports of tents, canvas and reports that Islamabad and Beijing have has sought additional guarantees before tarpulin grew by 57.77pc to $62.477m; strong differences of opinion on several sanctioning a $6bn loan for the ML-1 readymade garments by 5.54pc to issues ranging from the framework project owing to the weakening financial $1.490bn; art, silk and synthetic textile suggested for industrial cooperation and position of Pakistan and also proposed a increased by 0.17pc to $167.502m; made- mix of commercial and concessional loans up article by 17.46pc to $379.229m. the terms of Chinese financing for the ML- Meanwhile, exports of the 1 (Main Line-1) project. The International against Islamabad's desire for cheaper commodities that witnessed negative Monetary Fund (IMF) pressure on financing. Additionally, it has been growth included raw cotton, declining by Pakistan is another factor said to be reported that China wants new guarantees 96.14pc to $0.592m while those of cotton responsible for the slowdown of work on for ML-1 loan after Islamabad's decision to yarn decreased by 26.36pc to $400.730m. the CPEC schemes. Officials say JCC is seek debt relief from the G-20 countries. In addition, exports of cotton cloth “unlikely to take place in the next 2-3 The G-20 nations have also imposed a also decreased by 7.73pc to $935.009m months as a lot of work still needs to be condition that the poor countries would not and yarn (other than cotton yarn) by 7.28pc to $13.464m. completed and disagreements between the secure expensive commercial loans, It is pertinent to mention here that the two sides hammered out”. except those allowed under the IMF-World country's merchandise exports increased Both the countries have repeatedly Bank framework. by 4.98pc during the first half of the been iterating that CPEC has moved into The size of CPEC related Chinese current fiscal year as compared to the the second phase, which is much 'broader investments so far is said to be between corresponding period of last year. and deeper' than the first phase with $25.5bn and $29bn. However, many The total exports from the country industrial cooperation being a significant observers argue that the corridor initiative during July-December were recorded at will in its second phase focus less on new $12.110bn against $11.524bn during the part of it along with an emphasis on same period last year, according to the agricultural cooperation. However, loans for infrastructure and more on other latest PBS data. progress on the initiative has decelerated areas. The new Chinese ambassador to The imports into the country during since the removal of the Nawaz Sharif Pakistan has also emphasised on the period under review also increased by government in 2017. Many attribute the cooperation in industrial development, 5.72pc by growing from $23.195bn last slowdown to the ruling PTI's 'lack of agriculture, science and technology, year to $24.521bn during the first half of interest'. Some media reports suggest that information and livelihood. “The window current fiscal year. the Board of Investment (BoI) blames of new Chinese investments and loans for Based on the figures, the country's trade deficit increased by 6.44pc during China for the delay. For example, a BoI infrastructure schemes has closed now the first half compared to the official was quoted recently to have with the execution of the early harvest corresponding period of last year. The accused China of delaying the finalisation energy and transport projects; the second trade deficit during the first six months of of the framework on industrial phase of CPEC is all about cooperation the current fiscal year was recorded at cooperation. between the private sectors of the two $12.423bn against the deficit of Under industrial cooperation, countries,” a planning ministry official $11.671bn last year. Pakistan wants to develop nine prioritised concluded.

36 - FEBRUARY 2021 FEBRUARY 2021 - 37 Nepalese team makes history, scales K2 in winter Sherpa, Mingma Gyalje, Dawa Tenjin Sherpa, Kilu Pemba Sherpa and Sona technical mixed terrain of rock and ice and Sherpa. the short days of the coldest of the seasons made climbers to back off in the winters of The other members of three 1987-88, 2002-03, 2011-12, 2017-18, expedition teams remained at camp 1, 2018-19 and 2019-20. camp 2 and base camp. The highest point ever reached during winters was 7,650m. Not only the Gilgit-Baltistan government but climbers from across the The team of Nepalese climbers which made history world congratulated the Nepali climbers by becoming the first to summit K2 in winter. for their achievement. Congratulating the en Nepalese climbers on Nepalese climbers, GB chief minister Saturday Jan 16 set a record by said: “I hope the other mountaineers will s c a l i n g P a k i s t a n ' s K 2 also succeed in their quest.” He said the T successful summit of the world's second (8,611m), the world's second highest mountain and the only one among the highest mountain would boost tourism. “It 8,000m peaks that had never been climbed will be a new dawn of winter tourism in before in winter. the region,” the CM said. The same day, however, a Spanish The mountaineering community climber lost his life after falling into a celebrated the first-ever winter summit of crevasse at camp 1. K2 as the 10 Napali climbers reached the top of the world's second highest peak. Over 60 international climbers from SPANISH climber Sergio Mingote Moreno 18 countries had arrived at the K2 base However, while the world record was camp and started their adventure in early Also on Saturday, Spanish climber being set, all the celebration was January to try and scale what is also Sergio Mingote Moreno Jan 16, who was dampened by the death of a veteran known as the Savage Mountain or the part of the SST international winter climber. “The good news does not come King of North, as winds there can blow at expedition team, lost his life while without the saddest of the death of veteran more than 200km an hour and returning to base camp when he fall into mountaineer Sergio Mingote who fell to temperatures can drop to minus 60 the crevasse from Camp 1. his death while climbing between two degrees Celsius in winter. Earlier, Mr Gyalje said K2 was the camps on K2,” said Karrar Haidri, On Saturday at about 1656 hours, the only 8000ers remaining to be climbed in secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan. 10 Nepalese climbers from three different winter and that no Nepalese had ever been The Spanish climber fell some 600 expedition teams stood on the top of K2. on the list of first winter ascent on 8000ers. metres and was seriously hurt, he said, The achievement was the result of a “Nepal is proudly home of eight different adding that his body would be airlifted remarkable collaborative effort between 8000ers, but it's disappointing we are not from the base camp on Sunday. Nepalese climbers affiliated with multiple there on the list of first winter ascent. So Earlier on December 19, 2020, an teams: one led by Nirmal Purja and the we are here on a mission to enlist Nepal on international winter K2 expedition other by Mingma Gyalje Sherpa. In the first winter ascent list,” said the optimistic reached Pakistan. After completing days before last night's summit push, the team leader. official formalities at Islamabad, the two groups combined forces. So far only these 10 climbers in expedition made up of British, Iceland, Spanish mountaineer, who was part winter and 367 climbers in summer have German, Switzerland, Belgium and of the SST international winter expedition completed the ascent of K2, while 86 Bulgaria climbers to mention some from team, falls to death climbers have lost lives during attempts to over a dozen countries reached K2 base “The impossible is made possible, climb the peak between the first ascent of camp on December 29, 2020. The history made for humankind and Nepal… K2 on July 31, 1954 and the first winter expedition included some of the biggest A very special moment. The whole team summit on January 16, 2021. names in the mountaineering world such waited 10m below the summit to form a K2 in winter has become an Waldemar Kowalewski, Sergio Mingote group then stepped onto the summit increasingly sought-after objective, as the as well as Pakistani Ali Sadpara. It was the together,” said jubilant Nirmal who along other 8,000m peaks succumbed to largest concentration of climbers during a with Mingma was leading the Nepalese mountaineers in the coldest season. winter season at K2 base camp, according climbers' team. According to climber Alex Gavan K2 to the Alpine Club. He said: “We are proud to have been a is one of the world's most difficult and On January 15, four Nepali Sherpas part of history for humankind and to show dangerous mountains to climb, with the smashed the previously held record by that collaboration, teamwork and a second-highest fatality rate among the 14 climbing higher than 7,750 metres, which positive mental attitude can push limits to tallest peaks. was achieved by Denis Urubko and what we feel might be possible.” For every four reaching the summit, Marcin Kaczkan in the 2002-03 winter Mingma Gyalje, also a team leader, around one climber never returns from the summit attempt. The all-Nepalese team said: “Finally, we did it. We made the mountain. launched the summit push from Camps 3 history in mountaineering field.” Nicknamed the Savage Mountain, and 4. The team broke trail and fixed The 10 summiting team members, this first winter ascent is largely regarded along the way for other climbers. originally from three expedition teams, as one of the last great undone challenges “It is a significant accomplishment were Nirmal Purja, Mingma David of the current generation of high altitude although breaking trail and fixing ropes Sherpa, Mingma Tenzi Sherpa, Geljen climbers. for other climbers delayed their triumph Sherpa, Pem Chiri Sherpa, Dawa Temba Thin air, unpredictable weather, by several hours. The 10 Sherpas will fierce winds, extremely low temperatures, 38 - FEBRUARY 2021 descend in darkness and the team members await for their safe descent,” The mother of all motorways said Mr Haidri. While lamenting the loss of Sergio Mingote, he said the Spanish climber was The construction of KKH in rugged on a different project, of summiting all 14 mountains was so difficult and dangerous peaks above 8, 000 metres without bottled that no civil organisation was prepared to oxygen and completing the challenge he undertake this challenging project. had set himself in 1,000 days. President Ayub Khan then assigned the project to Pakistan Army which established the Frontier Works Pindi-Attock Organisation (FWO) for the gigantic project. Safari Train to The FWO started road construction from Abbottabad, while the Chinese start government took off from the Khunjerab Pass. Hundreds of Pakistanis and Chinese akistan Railways is launching a weekly 'Safari Tourist Train' lost their lives due to landslides and falls, Pfrom Rawalpindi to Attock while others got seriously injured during Khurd on Feb 14. the 20 years of road construction. The The day-trip safari train will pass graves of Chinese workers can be seen in a through the beautiful landscape of potohar Chinese cemetery in Gilgit. consisting of Margalla Hills, Sangjani The vision of Chinese leader Mao tunnel and many minor and major bridges Zedong should be commended for offering like Chablal Bridge, Haro Bridge, Ghazi HILE the extensive road Borotha and Attock Khurd bridges, assistance in this apparently impossible according to Divisional Superintendent of network in the country is project which has now facilitated the Pakistan Railways, Munawwar Shah. Win a deplorable state, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor T h e j o u r n e y s t a r t i n g f r o m governments of the past publicised (CPEC) under the Belt and Road Initiative Rawalpindi station will end at historic motorways that are nothing but a luxury (BRI). Attock Khurd Station after passing for the poor and debt-ridden nation that The nation must observe the through Golra, Taxila, Hassanabdal and has broken and damaged roads for daily anniversary of KKH's completion every Attock city railway stations. commute in the cities. year to pay tribute to those who risked and The Safari Train is being launched by Compared to the motorways, the Pakistan Railways in collaboration with sacrificed their limbs and lives to complete the Tourism Development Corporation of Karakoram Highway (KKH), constructed its construction, and also to educate and Punjab and Commissioner Rawalpindi, he without foreign loans in the absence of a motivate the nation to know this said. suitable road network between northern spectacular achievement under the banner Pakistan Railways Chairman areas and the rest of Pakistan, has failed to of Pakistan-China friendship with its Habibur Rehman Gilani said that receive due recognition. The project had strategic and socio-economic benefits. economic development and progress of started in 1959 and was completed 20 Students should also conduct an in- Pakistan are closely linked with Pakistan years later. It was open to the general depth study on the KKH to quantify its and tourism, and Pakistan Railways is serving both purposes. public in the mid-1980s. benefits and assess future prospects. The safari train is an opportunity for domestic as well as international tourists to glance at the beautiful landscape of Potohar region. Pakistan Railways will continue supporting tourism in the country and more such projects would be launched, he said. All the five railway stations from Rawalpindi to Attock Khurd were built between 1880 and 1893. The safari train will also pass through the old iron girder bridge, which is the most important, strategic and commercial cross on the Indus between Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. It was constructed in 1883 by Sir Guildford Moresworth costing Rs3.2 million, and was redesigned by Sir Favanics in 1929. The bridge has two levels and five ۔spars, making length of bridge to 569 feet

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40 - FEBRUARY 2021 No contact with Sadpara, two others on K2 mission

ust like the mountaineers' news was that the climbers had crossed the of foreign affairs for their cooperation. community, the nation eagerly bottleneck that led many to assume they Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party Ja w a i t s a n y n e w s a b o u t had reached the summit. (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Muhammad Ali Sadpara, the man on a Meanwhile, Sajid Sadpara, the son of prayed for safe return of Mohammad Ali mission to wave the national flag on the Muhammad Ali who was also part of the Sadpara and his colleagues. world's top peaks, and the two foreign expedition, reached the K2 base camp Sadpara is proud national hero who climbers who lost contact with their team after waiting for the three climbers at has risked his life to wave the national flag after crossing the last bottleneck on K2, as Camp 3 for over 20 hours. Sajid had been on the world's highest peaks, all possible army helicopters searched for them on with the three until the bottleneck and efforts to be taken to locate the missing Saturday Feb. 6 before returning to returned to Camp 3 after facing issues with men, he said. Skardu without success. his oxygen regulator. Meanwhile the high altitude porters Mr Sadpara, John Snorri from At 12:00am on Friday Feb. 5, around have returned to K2 Base Camp along Iceland and Juan Pablo Mohr from Chile the time they began their climb to the peak, with Sajid. have not been contacted since the three Snorri's official Facebook page shared the began their push for the K2 summit from update that the climbers were unable to camp 3 at midnight between Thursday rest over the day as “three other climbers Feb. 4 and Friday Feb. 5, according to needed shelter in their tent so there were a Climber goes their team. total of six people in the small tent”. The three climbers went missing “The climbing went well. They were hours after the death of Bulgarian feeling a little sick but are okay now,” the missing mountaineer Atanas Skatov while scaling post added. K2, also known as The Savage Mountain, However, more than seven hours later it was confirmed. the team shared that there had been no According to the Alpine Club of news from Camp 3. Pakistan, two Pakistan Army helicopters “The GPS track is unclear going back started a search and rescue mission on and forth. I believe it is just some Saturday Feb. 6 at 11am to locate the three misreading from the [satellite] signal or missing climbers who have not been in low battery. We need to keep our faith and contact with their team for over 30 hours. believe they will succeed.” Chhang Dawa Sherpa, the SST The team later shared the update that winter expedition team leader, said the the GPS had not updated Snorri's location army's helicopter made “a search flight in six hours. almost up to 7,000m and returned to “They have been climbing for 12.5 Skardu”. hours and [Snorri] mentioned 15 to 16 “Unfortunately, they can't trace hours to the summit. Their chef at the base COMMANDER FCNA Maj Gen Jawad anything,” he shared. camp thinks they're in the bottleneck [...] Ahmed shakes hands with a member of the “The condition up on the mountain His plan was to call me when he reached climbers' team that made history by scaling K2 in and even at the base camp is getting poor. the summit. I am hoping for that plan to winter. During his visit to the K2 base camp, Maj We are looking for further progress, but continue.” Gen Ahmed congratulated the Nepalese climbers the weather and winds are not At 5pm, Snorri's team said they were on their feat. permissible,” he wrote. in contact with the expedition team's chief n American climber on a It is still unclear if they managed to and base camp manager. “We have mission to conquer the Broad summit the peak or not. decided not to bother them and wait until APeak has gone missing in Speaking to media, an official from they will contact [base camp manager]. Gilgit-Baltistan, a tour organiser said the expedition team said the only verified We are not listening to other news, we are recently. the only source to the team.” Alex Goldfarb, a Russian-American, However, the and Zoltan Szlanko, from Hungary, had Snorri team said it arrived at Pastore Peak, which is not far had not heard from from the 8,047-high Broad Peak, for the three climbers. acclimatisation. The two mountaineers “The only news we plan to attempt an ascent of the Broad Peak have is that Sajid in winter, considered a dangerous feat by Ali [Sadpara's son] climbers. is descending safe Tour organiser Asghar Ali Porik from camp 3.” informed local officials that Mr Szlanko I t a l s o had returned, but Mr Goldfarb had not t h a n k e d t h e been seen. Pakistan Army for A team was despatched to look for the carrying out a mountaineer, but was unable to trace him. search and rescue John Snorri of Iceland, who is mission using a currently at K2 base camp before helicopter and the attempting to ascent the world's second- A PAKISTAN Army helicopter carries out search for missing climbers near K2 Icelandic ministry highest peak with Muhammad Ali on Saturday 6 Feb. Sadpara, also took part in the search.

FEBRUARY 2021 - 41 Preferred Hotels & Resorts renews successful strategic partnership with Sabre

leading software and facilitating the creation of tailored its member hoteliers control all packages and providing further t e c h n o l o g y p r o v i d e r reservations in real-time from one scalable powering the global travel opportunities for increased revenue per A platform while increasing geographic transaction. industry, and Preferred Hotels & Resorts reach, boosting booking conversions, and recently announced the renewal of their enhancing the guest experience. Tabuk governor strategic partnership through a long-term “Preferred Hotels & Resorts is a and expanded technology agreement. marquee customer for Sabre Hospitality, The renewal marks the latest chapter representing some of the best hotel brands arrives to hunt in the valued and long-standing in the world,” said Scott Wilson, president relationship between Sabre and Preferred of Sabre Hospitality Solutions. “Our long- houbara bustard Hotels & Resorts, the world's largest standing relationship with Preferred is a independent hotel brand representing testament Sabre's commitment to more than 750 distinctive hotels, resorts, customer partnership, innovative residences, and unique hotel groups technology and our demonstrated across 85 countries. This latest deal leadership in the hospitality industry.” ensures that Preferred Hotels & Resorts “We're delighted to announce our will have continued access to the full suite continued relationship with Preferred of Sabre's hospitality solutions to support Hotels & Resorts, which is testament to the the company's goal of expanding adoption confidence that Preferred has in Sabre and of its I Prefer Hotel Rewards program and affirms our long-lasting partnership,” said expanding distribution of its properties within its Preferred Residences Ben Alves, vice president & general manager Americas of Sabre Hospitality Balochistan Governor Amanullah Khan Yasinzai collection. receiving the Governor of Tabuk, Prince Fahd bin “Sabre has long been our brand's Solutions. “As the travel industry Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, at Dalbandin valued technology provider, and we are continues to navigate the current industry airport on Wednesday 27 Jan. pleased to continue our partnership as we conditions and move toward recovery, we rince Fahd Bin Sultan Bin look to help fuel the recovery of the are committed to continuing to find new Abdul Aziz Al Saud, governor hospitality industry,” said Michelle areas where Sabre solutions can support Pof Saudi Arabia's Tabuk region, Woodley, President of Preferred Hotels & the growth and expansion goals of this along with his 13 companions arrived in Resorts. “Together with Sabre, we are important customer.” Dalbandin aboard a special aircraft on exploring new opportunities to make SynXis Central Reservations allows Wednesday Jan 27 for hunting houbara Sabre's hospitality solutions including its hoteliers to distribute rates and inventory bustard. property management system available to to 400 online channels across the world, He was received by Balochistan our base of member hotels, resorts, and including all major GDS systems, as well Governor Amanullah Khan Yasinzai, residences around the world.” as hundreds of online travel agencies Saudi Ambassador in Pakistan Nawaf Bin Under the agreement, Preferred (OTAs), metasearch engines and call Saeed Al-Maliki, Rakhshan Division Hotels & Resorts will continue providing centers. Meanwhile the SynXis Booking Commissioner Saeed Ahmed Umrani, access to Sabre's SynXis Central Engine offers built-in dynamic DIG Javed Jiskani, Brigadier Abubakkar Reservations system, along with the personalization along with a full suite of Shehbaz and other officials on his arrival at SynXis Booking Engine, Digital digital services to increase consumer Dalbandin airport where he was presented Experience, and Voice Agent solutions, engagement and convert browsers to a guard of honor by police. among its five global collections to help bookings. Channel Connect further According to official sources, an simplifies and advance party of the Arab dignitaries a u t o m a t e s carrying 40 falcons already arrived in d i s t r i b u t i o n , Dalbandin a few days ago. m a x i m i z i n g According to an official letter issued exposure to local, by the minister of foreign affairs on Jan 19, r e g i o n a l a n d the Tabuk governor will spend about three global markets weeks in the Chagai area. while SynXis On the occasion, Governor Yasinzai Vo i c e A g e n t said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had deep offers advanced cordial relations and stressed the need for tools to deliver a further strengthening the bilateral ties. p e r s o n a l i z e d Mr Yasinzai praised Saudi Arabia for e x p e r i e n c e supporting Pakistan in hard times and through guest hoped that Pak-Saudi relations would cast Pakistan International Snowboarding Championship and Festival kicked off at r e c o g n i t i o n , the Malam Jabba tourist resort in Swat valley. a positive impact regional security.

42 - FEBRUARY 2021 Murad vows to undertake tourism-oriented development in city

hief Minister Syed Murad Ali Khalid Shamsul Hassan. Shah on Monday Feb. 8 said “The letters Quaid-i-Azam had Cthat the construction of written to his party [leaders] were of great Gulbai Road would not only resolve interest and an immense learning issues of traffic congestion in the locality experience that one gets from them,” he but it would promote tourism and said, adding: “When he [Quaid] was recreational activities along the beach. making the country there were intrigues “The city must be developed in a way and how he had handled them was the to attract tourists by carrying out tourism- height of his political wisdom, sagacity oriented development that includes In this file photo, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali and farsightedness and we must learn construction of roads leading towards city Shah addresses a press conference. from the experiences of our elders beaches including Sandspit, Manora, ensure their proper maintenance. because even today we are facing such Keamari and historical places like Wazir The chief minister said that the intrigues.” Mansion, Jinnah House, etc,” he said construction of a U-turn at Natha Khan while presiding over a meeting to review bridge with an estimated cost of Rs214.4m various development schemes launched was the scheme of last year, but still it had Iran agrees to under the Karachi package. not been completed. “There are serious The meeting was told that problems of traffic at Natha Khan which reconstruction of 5.25km dual can be solved with the construction of the resume cross- carriageway from Gulbai to Y-junction U-turn,” he said. was being carried out with an estimated He also issued directives for border travel cost of Rs1.01 billion and it would be overhauling of the drainage system of I.I. completed within six months. Chundrigar Road and then beautification The chief minister directed the LG of the road with lane marking, necessary department to construct a storm-water lighting, installation of signboards, etc. drain on both sides of the road. He also directed the LG department to Mr Shah said that the project was construct 10 pedestrian bridges in the city important to open up the area of for which spots had already been identified Hawkesbay and coastal belt for and approved. recreational purposes. MoU with Jinnah Society He expressed displeasure over the Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah blockage from Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman on Monday Feb. 8 said that people of Sindh Road towards Punjab Colony/Sunset were the founders of Pakistan and this was Pakistani and Iranian officials pictured at Boulevard. “I have already released very much evident from the letters Quaid- Raahdari Gate in Taftan on Monday 8 Feb. Rs100 million to pay the occupants of a i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had written building which is supposed to be to his party during the 1940s. ranian authorities have assured bulldozed to pave way for vehicular This he said while speaking at a Pakistani officials that travel traffic. But around one year [has] passed ceremony to sign a memorandum of Iactivities would soon be resumed [and] the building has not been understanding (MoU) between the Sindh for people living along the border to meet demolished,” he said. culture department and Jinnah Society to their loved ones. The LG minister apprised the CM turn Quaid-i-Azam House as a Nation Assistant Commissioner Asmatullah that Rs30m had been released to deputy Building Institute. Khan Achakzai called a meeting at commissioner South to pay the The ceremony was attended by Raahdari Gate in Taftan, a town near Pak- compensation and the remaining amount Culture Minister Syed Sardar Shah, Arts Iran border in Chagai district, and was being provided to take over the Council president Ahmed Shah, architect discussed certain border issues with Shahid Abdullah, Liaquat H. Merchant, building. Mohammad Qasim Peeri, the Marzban Ikram Sehgal and others. Underpasses, flyovers not being Grade-2 of Mir Javeh border town of Iran. maintained “I have been personally a beneficiary of the Quaid-i-Azam Aligarh Scholarship After offering gratitude to the Iranian CM Shah said that the provincial authorities for reopening the mutual tax- government had constructed more than 12 when I was going for masters abroad. I had free trade gate, the Taftan assistant underpasses and flyovers. “Since they applied for the scholarship and Liaquat H. commissioner urged his Iranian have not been handed over to the agencies Merchant had conducted my interview concerned, they are not being some 35 years ago and approved it [the counterpart to reopen the Raahdari Gate maintained,” he said. scholarship],” he recalled. which is used by the residents of border He added that people were sending He added Mr Merchant had promised areas to meet their relatives after getting a him messages that water was seeping into to provide him with a copy of the letter in 15-day special travel permit. Natha Khan, Mehran and some other which he had approved the scholarship The Marzban Grade-2 said the travel underpasses. which was no more with him. gate would be reopened once they He directed the LG minister to hand Mr Shah said that when he was in the received a nod from Marzban Grade-1. over the underpasses to the Karachi opposition in 2002 he visited the archives The two sides also discussed painting Metropolitan Corporation and district department where he saw the collection of of border pillars between Taftan and Mir municipal corporations concerned and Quaid-i-Azam's letters compiled by Javeh.

FEBRUARY 2021 - 43 44 - FEBRUARY 2021 high-level engagements with the UAE as Rise in leopard population on Margalla soon as the global health situation improves,” the Foreign Office said in a Hills linked to healthy ecosystem: IWMB statement. The UAE ambassador pledged to work towards further strengthening trails that humans take and avoids them bilateral ties and diversifying them in all during the day. Most attacks by leopards sectors. on humans are in self defence intentional attacks are rare,” she specified. He said the UAE government was keen to develop ties with Pakistan on the The common leopard is a critically basis of mutual respect, understanding endangered species and top predator of the and common interests.“He acknowledged park and is also very territorial by nature. the positive contribution made by The IWMB with assistance from the Pakistani diaspora towards the progress Capital Development Authority (CDA) is and development of the UAE,” the FO A female common leopard named Shezadi caught on installing fences and gates around trail 4, said. camera by IWMB in January. which will be shut after sunset. Trail 4 was F o r e i g n M i n i s t e r Q u r e s h i , he Islamabad Wildlife opened earlier in January to control over meanwhile, in an interaction with the Management Board (IWMB) crowding on other trails and monitor European Union envoys at the Foreign Ton Tuesday Feb. 2 linked the illegal cutting of wood. Office called for deeper engagement increase in population of leopards between Pakistan and the EU, especially dwelling in Margalla Hills National Park Gulf leaders in the realm of economic and cultural ties. (MHNP) to “plenty of game”. The foreign minister hosted a “Unlike Ayubia, no case of attacks on luncheon for the EU envoys for sharing livestock has been reported there. This is comming for “perspectives and plans” to carry forward because there is a significant wild boar the relationship, the FO said. and monkey population along with houbara hunting barking deer,” said IWMB Chairperson Houbara hunting Rina Saeed Khan. Talking to media, Ms Khan said there were five leopards in the hills which was permits issued to testament to the fact that the national park had a healthy eco-system, however, it UAE royal family must be noted that the animals inhabit the hills permanently. “This is in no way an invitation that visitors should come and see the leopards. The public is being informed to trek and hike in groups and return before sun down when trekking on trails 4 and 6,” Ms Khan said. Crown prince of UAE / Bahrain's king According to IWMB, the leopards Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa bin roam between trails 4 and 6. Salman Al Khalifa and Abu Dhabi Crown They sleep through the day and come Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan The federal government has issued at least seven out after dark. With the opening of trail 4, will be visiting Pakistan on private trips special hunting permits to Dubai ruler Sheikh trekkers need to keep in mind that it is over the next few days, diplomatic sources Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum and six other human beings that are encroaching the say. members of the ruling family. animals' home, she said, adding that it will The two Gulf leaders are coming to he federal government has take a while before leopards get used to Pakistan for houbara bustard hunting in issued at least seven special the presence of humans on their turf. Balochistan from Jan 22 to Jan 24, permits to Dubai ruler Sheikh “In case hikers do come face to face T according to a source. They are, however, Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum and with a leopard, running is not an option unlikely to visit Islamabad during their six other members of the ruling family to instead one should freeze and show no trip. The Abu Dhabi crown prince had in hunt the internationally protected bird signs of fear,” she added. the past made stopovers in the federal houbara bustard during the 2020-21 The IWMB released images of a capital after returning from the hunting hunting season, it has been learnt. female common leopard named Shezadi trips. According to sources, among the found to be a permanent resident of the Prime Minister Imran Khan had a other hunters given the permits are the territory between trails 4 and 6 inside telephone conversation with the Bahraini crown prince, deputy ruler and finance and MHNP. Shezadi was caught on camera monarch.Meanwhile, UAE Ambassador industries minister, deputy police chief, an after traps were set up by IWMB staff for Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al Zaabi army official, two other members of the several evenings in a row in late January. met Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood royal family and a businessman. Leopards patrol and control 50 Qureshi.The foreign minister underscored The special hunting permits, after square km of the territory, Ms Khan said. the importance of frequent high-level being approved by the prime minister, The areas, wherein IWMB has been visits from both sides and said they served were issued by the foreign ministry's setting camera traps since 2019 are to continually provide impetus towards deputy chief of protocol and were inhabited by at least five individual deepening and diversifying bilateral delivered to the UAE Embassy in relations. Islamabad so that these could be delivered common leopards. to the hunters belonging to the tiny “Shezadi is now familiar with the “He looked forward to enhanced sheikhdom.

FEBRUARY 2021 - 45 46 - FEBRUARY 2021 Experts fear Makli necropolis may lose World Heritage Site status after `renovation`

but unfortunately this huge amount was save the heritage sites from complete ruthlessly wasted and usurped by non- destruction. professional officers of the directorate of antiquities and archaeology in collusion American hunts with vested interests. He said the heritage sites were a Astore markhor LABOURERS take part in the rehabilitation of reflection of a nation's past and any some of the crumbling tombs at Makli necropolis attempt to tamper with history must not go recently. with 41- inch unpunished irrespective of socio-political r c h a e o l o g i s t s a n d status of those who committed this crime. c o n s e r v a t i o n i s t s h a v e He said that it was no secret that two horns expressed fear that Unesco A officers, said to be brothers and occupying An American citizen has hunted the may withdraw international heritage key posts in the department of culture, status of Makli necropolis, particularly highest-rated Astore markhor, a rare tourism and antiquities, were now facing species in Gilgit-Baltistan, after paying magnificent mausoleum of Isa Khan references of National Accountability Turkhan-II, governor of Thatta (1627- $61,500 as a licence fee during the current Bureau and inquiries for their hunting trophy season. 1644), after “renovation” of historical wrongdoings. sites by non-professionals, which have left Edward Joseph Hudson hunted the He contended that in near past a markhor near the Dashkin-Mushkin- the sites disfigured and stripped them of special team of structural engineers from their antiquity. Tarbuling (DMT) conservation area in Munich, Germany, came here to study and Astore, according to the Gilgit-Baltistan They called upon authorities conduct GPR of the leaning mausoleum of wildlife department. concerned to immediately stop the so- Jam Nizamuddin-II and Makli necropolis called renovation and rehabilitation work The horns of the hunted animal were but the red tape culture obstructed their measured at 41 inches. at the heritage sites being carried out by efforts. novices and non-professionals and help For the trophy hunting programme of Qasim Ali Qasim, former director 2020-21, the Gilgit-Baltistan wildlife, maintain original shape and status of the general of archaeology department, said sites. environment and forest department has that Unesco in its annual conference in auctioned only four permits for Astore Masood Lohar, well-known Istanbul had expressed serious concern markhor, 18 for blue sheep and 150 for archaeologist and former national over fast-crumbling Makli necropolis, and Himalayan ibexes. coordinator of UNDP GEF SGP said: discussed the option of putting the world's The trophy hunting programme “There is no concept of renovation in second largest necropolis on the list of starts in November and ends in April. archaeology. It is only conservation that is “endangered world heritage sites”. Foreign, national and local hunters hunt applied to keep the heritage sites in their However, it granted the government the trophies in conservation areas of actual shape and status so as to make of Pakistan one year's time to take Gilgit-Baltistan after getting licences. history explorable by all future appropriate measures to avoid such an The American hunter, Mr Hudson, generations”. action and later extended the time to 2018 paid $61,500 to obtain the licence of He said that incompetence and but the department did nothing positive on hunting the highest-rated Astore markhor. corruption in the culture and archaeology the subject. Last month, another American, Jos- department had exposed Sindh's heritage Inam Shaikh, columnist, said that it eph Bradford, hunted a Kashmir markhor to danger as monuments were being was vandalism and crime against history with 40-inch horns in Chitral's Toshi developed in a way that left them and heritage of Sindh and demanded stern Shasha conservation area with a bow, disfigured and stripped of their antiquity. action against those who were at the helm making a record as it was the first trophy If immediate action was not taken to stop at culture and archaeology department. hunting performed with a bow. He had this Sindh would lose all its gems, he He said that not only Makli but paid around Rs13.12 million for the warned. Moenjodaro and other sites had also been permit. He praised former prime minister given in incompetent hands of those who According to sources, local Zulfikar Ali Bhutto for his farsightedness were only trying to make money by community receives 80 per cent of the and great achievement to have destroying heritage. Sindh chief minister income obtained from the permit fee as its Moenjodaro and Makli necropolis listed and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari need to share which is spent on their collective on endangered sites list of Unesco. He immediately intervene to stop this development and self-employment of introduced all heritage sites of Pakistan to wholesale destruction of history before it jobless youth through the village international audience, he said. was too late, he warned. conservation committees. Kazi Ayaz Mahesar, former History lovers of Thatta and Sujawal, The trophy hunting programme coordinator of Unesco Sindh, said that Rehmatullah Chutto Irfan Ali Samoon, began in the 1980s. It is carried out under after devolution of subjects under the 18th Habibullah Chandio, Abdul Sattar the Convention on International Trade of Amendment and handing over of Behrani and others feared further damage Endangered Species of Wildlife and is historical sites to provinces, Sindh to the necropolis and the mausoleum and allowed only in the notified areas of government allocated Rs4 billion out of appealed to authorities concerned to stop Gilgit-Baltistan. ADP and regular budget schemes as grant non-professionals from tampering with Any person found involved in illegal in aid for the conservation of heritage sites historical sites and conduct an inquiry to hunting is caught and penalised.

FEBRUARY 2021 - 47 48 - FEBRUARY 2021 FEBRUARY 2021 - 49 Islamabad - 051-111-222-787 Lahore - 042-111-222-787 Faisalabad - 041-111-222-787 Hyderabad - 022-111-222-787 Karachi - 021-111-222-787

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50 - FEBRUARY 2021