Askari Airline has no plans to start soon, not least by 2020, an Askari Aviation Services (AAS) employee told the print media last week.
The 2018 headline in the Urdu newspaper made its rounds on social media, stating that Askari Airline, a project led by the Army Welfare Trust (AWT), would soon start operations for Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad.
The news sparked social media hype, including cases of forged permits and the recent plane crash in Karachi as a result of recent complications faced by Pakistan's flag carrier.
However, it was also believed that the management of Askari Airlines had decided before the coronavirus and flights around the world that they would be operational soon.
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Askari Air Pakistan is already licensed to operate. The rest of the infrastructure is not yet complete, so flights can currently be put into service.
Askari Airline is one of five licensed airlines in 2019 after authorities introduced a new airline policy to encourage new airlines in the country. Go Green, Liberty Air and AirSial are some of the other airlines currently under construction.
AirSial should officially launch in June 2020, as reported in February. However, given the economic conditions and travel bans caused by the Covid 19 pandemic, the airline had to delay the official launch.
