Leased planes to replace Fokkers

[Abbas Ali]

Multan: Interior State Minister Chaudhry Zafar Iqbal Warraich disclosed on Friday that the government had contacted Australia and some other countries to get some planes on lease to operate these for domestic flights as a makeshift arrangement till delivery of ATR planes.

Addressing a press conference at local Circuit House on Friday evening, he said “We are trying to get some planes on lease to replace Fokkers. These planes will be utilized until we receive our ATR planes.” Referring to the inquiry of tragic plane crash, he said that the probe was underway and a strict action would be taken if any body found guilty of negligence.

He rejected the possibility of any sabotage and said that apparently the incident occurred due to a technical fault. He said that a high level committee had been formed to investigate the matter and everything including cause of incident would become clear after completion of inquiry.

He further disclosed that another inquiry had also been initiated into delay of delivery of ATR planes. “Now the government has also launched a probe into this matter as to why the delivery has been delayed,” he maintained. He said that the cabinet unanimously decided to ground Fokker planes, although the government would have to face financial and commercial hardships after this decision. He said that the routes on which Fokkers were operating had never been profitable but the government did not close operation on these routes for the sake of masses convenience.

He said that the air crash was a great loss for the country as it deprived the nation of precious scientists, judges, army men, doctors and lawyers.

He asked the city district Nazim Mian Faisal Mukhtar to prepare a flight schedule suiting to local business community and other travelers and he would try to get it approved by the Prime Minister and ministry of defence.

Source: The News

[Abbas Ali]

PIA Chairman Tariq Kirmani has stated at a meeting in Ministry of Defence held on July 14 that PIA was making efforts to get two ATR aircraft on lease so as to facilitate the passengers of Northern Areas as well as Chitral in the wake of grounding of Fokker aircraft.

Source: Associated Press of Pakistan