BEIJING, Dec. 30 (INP): China upgraded it's Airline service to Pakistan, hoping it will be a major step forward to improve people-to-people contacts between the two brotherly countries.

As per the plan, China Southern Airlines to run three weekly flights between Islamabad-Kunming-Guangzhou.

The flight operation was formally started this week. On its opening, the Minister Counsellor for Chinese Embassy in Pakistan Wang Zhihua said this new route will play crucial role for further strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries, particularly in business sector.

According to China Economic Net, the new route will become the fourth one between the two countries and the air connectivity will significantly contribute towards enhancing exchange of visits between the two countries.

Around 500,000 Pakistani students visited China every year as currently 22,000 Pakistani students are studying there on scholarships.

The number of visitors from China are also increasing in Pakistan and opening up of this new route will definitely boost up bilateral relations between the two sides.

Welcoming the flight operation, Maqsood Ali Khan, Director Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said Pakistan’s CAA is making all out efforts to increase number of flights for different destinations of the world.

Saddaruddin Hunza, President Tourism Operators Association said there is a need to improve visa's facility as there will be number of Pakistanis who wanted to visit China.

In a briefing about flights between the two countries, it was informed by the representative of China Southern Airlines that that three flights on weekly basis will have duration time of four hours and 25 minutes.

INP/Javed