Islamabad, Feb 31: Provincial Minister Sadiq Umrani has submitted a joint resolution in the Balochistan Assembly, calling for an urgent reduction in airline fares, particularly on the Quetta-Karachi route. The resolution highlights the closure of the national highway between Quetta and Karachi, which has left air travel as the only practical means of transportation, especially for patients seeking medical treatment in Karachi.
The resolution raises concerns over the exorbitant rise in airfares, with one-way tickets now costing PKR 70,000, a drastic jump from the previous fares of PKR 17,000 to PKR 20,000. On routes from Quetta to Islamabad, prices have also surged to as high as PKR 100,000, placing an overwhelming financial burden on passengers.
Urging immediate action, the provincial minister and other assembly members have called on the Balochistan government to engage with federal authorities to regulate and bring down airline ticket prices. The Balochistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) has also raised similar concerns, formally addressing the Ministry of Aviation about the issue. The Chamber’s president emphasized that PIA operates only a limited number of flights to Quetta, allowing private airlines to exploit the situation by imposing excessive charges.
To ease the financial burden on travelers, the Chamber has urged the authorities to increase PIA’s flight frequency to Quetta and enforce fare regulations to prevent price gouging. As the situation worsens due to limited travel alternatives, pressure is mounting on the federal government and aviation authorities to intervene and ensure affordable air travel for the people of Balochistan.
