Quetta to Soon Launch International Cargo Service, Says CAA Officials

Quetta:In an important meeting held at the **Quetta Chamber of Commerce & Industry**, **Senior Additional Director of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)** **Faheem Yar Khan**, **Senior Joint Director (P\&D)** **Architect Osama Khan**, and **Quetta International Airport Manager** **Waheed Abbas** shared promising news for the **business community of Balochistan**. They announced that the launch of **international cargo services** from **Quetta International Airport** will soon become a reality.

The CAA officials highlighted that the more the cargo operations increase, the easier and cheaper air travel services will become for the people of the province. In this regard, efforts are underway to secure land for the **International Cargo Terminal**, with an initial focus on **perishable goods** followed by other products in the future.

During the meeting, **Haji Mohammad Ayub Mariani**, the President of the **Chamber of Commerce & Industry Quetta**, along with senior office bearers, expressed their deep concerns about the absence of international cargo services at Quetta International Airport, a situation that has been hindering the potential of the province’s economy. He pointed out that due to the poor condition of roads and the lack of proper transport services, local farmers and producers have been facing serious difficulties in exporting their goods abroad, particularly fresh produce and meat.

Currently, producers have to send their goods to Karachi for export, as **Quetta** lacks direct international cargo services. The lack of an export hub has been detrimental to the agriculture, livestock, and other sectors. **Haji Mariani** stressed that establishing international cargo services at **Quetta International Airport** would benefit not only the people of Balochistan but also neighboring **Afghanistan**.

The Chamber emphasized that **export growth** is essential for both the national and provincial economy, and without concrete steps in this direction, the region’s economic development will remain limited. They called upon **CAA**, **PIA**, **Pakistan Airports Authority**, and other stakeholders to take immediate actions to fulfill this long-standing demand.

The senior CAA officials, in turn, confirmed that the establishment of **international cargo services** at both **Quetta** and **Gwadar** airports is among their top priorities. **Faheem Yar Khan** stated that they were in talks with the **Pakistan Air Force** regarding the acquisition of land for the **cargo terminal** at **Quetta International Airport**. He emphasized that the greater the cargo operations at an airport, the more affordable air travel will be for the business community and the general public.

The officials also confirmed that they plan to start with **perishable goods** exports, followed by a longer-term plan for exporting other products. They acknowledged the essential role that **Balochistan’s business community** will play in ensuring the success of this initiative.

The meeting also celebrated the recent **direct flights** from **Quetta to Jeddah**, a long-awaited demand from the business community, allowing people from Balochistan to travel directly for **Hajj**, **Umrah**, and other purposes.

At the end of the session, the **Chamber of Commerce & Industry Quetta** presented the **CAA officials** with commemorative shields as a token of appreciation for their efforts and commitment to enhancing Balochistan’s air travel and cargo services.