ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Friday said the government was seeking the early launch of direct flights between Pakistan and the United States, stressing that relations between the two countries were rooted in mutual trust and bilateral cooperation.
The remarks were made during a meeting with US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur, where both sides discussed bilateral ties and the latest developments in the Middle East, according to a statement issued by the interior ministry.
US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie A Baker, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry and other officials also attended the meeting.
During the discussion, Naqvi said Pakistan-US relations had strengthened during the tenure of US President Donald Trump.
Both sides also discussed expanding cooperation in the areas of security, counterterrorism and counternarcotics. Naqvi said security arrangements for US companies working on the Reko Diq project had been ensured.
The interior minister added that Pakistan remained hopeful for a lasting and peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
In response, Kapur praised Pakistan’s role in promoting peace and stability in the region.
Naqvi’s remarks regarding direct flights between Pakistan and the United States come after the resumption of Pakistan International Airlines direct flights to London earlier this year following a six-year suspension.
The airline announced on March 29 that its inaugural direct flight departed from Islamabad and added that direct flights from Lahore to London would also be operated.
Days earlier, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had said the country would soon witness an expansion of the PIA fleet and the revival of direct flight operations to more destinations in the UK, Europe and Canada.
“Our government is also working closely with the aviation authority of the US to revive direct flight operations to [the] US. I wish all stakeholders a brighter future after [the] successful transformation of [the] aviation sector in Pakistan, acknowledged by all International Aviation Authorities,” Asif wrote in a post on X.