Scottish petition for Pakistan flights

THE government of Pakistan has been sent a 3,000-name petition urging it to reinstate direct flights to Scotland.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), whose majority shareholder is the Pakistan government, stopped direct flights between Glasgow and Lahore in January.

Since the direct route ended, passengers have had to fly from London or Manchester, adding time and expense to the journey.

Glasgow Labour MSP Hanzala Malik led a delegation to the Pakistan consulate yesterday to deliver a petition calling for the flights to be reinstated.

He said that ending the direct flights had had a major impact on both economic and family links in Scotland and Pakistan.

“The fact that we managed to collect so many signatures in a three-week period shows how strongly people feel.”