Kabul-Khost flights formally begin

KHOST CITY (PAN and Khost City, officials said on Saturday, hoping the service would help resolve travellers’ problems.

Governor Abdul Jabbar Naeemi, who was among government officials on the maiden flight that landed at the Sehra Bagh airport, told Pajhwok Afghan News Khost City had been connected with Kabul through the service.

He said the service would not only resolve the problems being faced by passengers, but would also bring about economic prosperity. The NATO forces’ airfield, Sehra Bagh, is temporarily being used for civilian flights.

Transport and Aviation Ministry official Capt. Hamid Zahir told Pajhwok Afghan News that initially flights would be conducted between Kabul and Khost City thrice a week. If necessary, the number of flights will be increased to six a week.

Passengers coming from Arab countries to Khost via Kabul had to face a lot of problems in reaching home and the service would resolve those problems.

Zahir said a contract to the effect had been signed with a privately-owned airline “Ofaq-i-Sharq” and with an increase in the number of passengers contracts would be signed with other companies.

He said the under-construction civilian airport in Khost, once completed, would pave the ground for international flights, particularly to the UAE, from the province.

A Khost resident, Jalal, who was also onboard the first flight, said he was very happy with the start of the service.

He said there should be daily flights between Kabul and Khost City in order to mitigate problems being faced by commuters.

More than 100,000 Khost residents, who work in the gulf countries, most of them in the UAE, arrive and depart through the Kabul International Airport.  They face problems in reaching Khost from Kabul via the road.

Observers believe direct flights from Khost to Arab countries would resolve the problems being faced by these passengers.

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