'National Aviation Policy Offers Huge Business Opportunities'

National Aviation Policy (NAP) will bring huge business opportunities and promote economic activities in the country

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Jun, 2021 ) :National Aviation Policy (NAP) will bring huge business opportunities and promote economic activities in the country.

These views were expressed by the Secretary Aviation & Chairman Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority board Shoukat Ali during a meeting with business community here at Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) on Monday. LCCI President Mian Tariq Misbah, Vice President Tahir Manzoor Chaudhry, DG PCAA Khaqan Murtaza and Director Air Transport Air Commodore Irfan Sabir also spoke on the occasion.

The Secretary said that in January 2019, the Prime Minister critically and comprehensively reviewed National Aviation Policy to support aviation and airline industry in Pakistan.

Shoukat Ali said that PCCA was working for infrastructure development including new helipads, upgradation of passenger lounges at airports, flight kitchen and cold storage extension of various airports. He said that this Policy would also promote aerial sports.

He said that NAP would reduce cost of doing business, reduced/rationalize paid-up capital and security deposit, promote tourism and regional connectivity and facilitate aircraft manufacturing.

He said that NAP would not only promote tourism in Pakistan but also ensure an investor friendly environment in the country.

He said that the overall political and economic environment had improved and Pakistan was moving towards an increasing trend in growth rate, relatively stable Currency value, lower interest rates for business growth and sufficient energy resources.

He said that the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority was going to introduce a policy of land on lease for the private sector.

LCCI President Mian Tariq Misbah appreciated the government for approving the National Aviation Policy, saying that this policy would enhance the ease of doing business and also reduce the cost of doing business.

He said that Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry was ready to collaborate with officials from Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority to explore the business avenues in this non-conventional sector of the economy. He stressed upon the need of public-private partnership in this connection.

Mian Tariq Misbah said that the renewed focus of government on civil aviation was very much in line with the major geo-political and economic transformations taking place due to China Pakistan Economic Corridor and Lahore being the second largest economic hub of the country held special importance in this connection.

He said that it was quite encouraging to know that the National Aviation Policy primarily focused on the promotion of domestic tourism. Tourism in Pakistan was a growing industry as the prevalence of peace across the country was encouraging foreign tourists to visit Pakistan.

The LCCI President said that Pakistan offered a wide spectrum of tourism ranging from religious to historical places and ancient civilizations to modern architecture. It was needless to mention that new airports at remote potential places of Pakistan for tourism promotion would certainly give a boost to this sector.

He said that since Pakistan's medical sector had shown tremendous improvement in recent times due to various initiatives of the government, there was also a great scope of enhancing medical tourism in the country.

Former LCCI President Tahir Javed Malik, former Senior Vice President Khawaja Khawar Rasheed, Executive Committee Members Riaz Malik, Haji Asif Sehar, Shahid Nazir and Imran Bashir were also present.