Kundi announces direct Peshawar-Lahore air link

A direct flight between Peshawar and Lahore will commence on November 9, providing faster air connectivity between the two major cities, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi announced on Saturday.

In a statement, the governor said the new air service would benefit residents of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, particularly those travelling to Lahore for business and other purposes.

He said the journey between Peshawar and Lahore would take approximately 50 minutes to one hour by air, offering passengers a convenient alternative to lengthy road travel.

Kundi said a direct flight between Peshawar and Quetta had already been launched. He added that efforts were also underway to introduce air services connecting Peshawar with other parts of the province, including Dera Ismail Khan, Chitral and Parachinar.

The governor said these initiatives were part of broader efforts to improve transportation facilities, strengthen regional connectivity and transform Peshawar into a modern city.

In a separate development, Kundi highlighted the provincial government’s efforts to improve healthcare facilities and strengthen the health sector. Addressing a ceremony in Peshawar, he said steps were being taken to provide better facilities to doctors and hospitals and establish a stronger healthcare system.

Welcoming domestic and international delegations attending the event, he acknowledged the challenges facing the province, particularly terrorism and the consequences of militant attacks.

The governor said measures had been introduced to improve the health department and expressed confidence that people would soon witness positive changes in healthcare services.

He also referred to the killing of a National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) official in Peshawar a day earlier. He said police were investigating the incident and assured that those responsible would be brought to justice.

Discussing security measures, Kundi said the government was taking steps to protect polio workers and eliminate the disease. He added that intelligence-based operations were being conducted against militants and that efforts to combat terrorism would continue.

However, he clarified that a full-scale military operation was not currently being carried out against terrorists.

Commenting on the provincial government’s performance, the governor criticised the previous 13 years of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rule, saying that the problems accumulated over that period could not be resolved within just 13 days.

Kundi also said the anti-encroachment campaign would continue across the province. He explained that authorities would move towards clearing markets after completing road-widening operations.

He added that designated spaces would be provided to street vendors to ensure they could continue their businesses without obstructing public roads and commercial areas.

The governor further assured that anyone who had suffered injustice during the anti-encroachment drive would be compensated.