PESHAWAR: Today celebrates the 25th anniversary of Emirates’ successful operations in Peshawar, Pakistan’s sixth largest city. Since its first flight on July 14, 1998, Emirates has carried over 1.8 million passengers and lifted over 25,000 tonnes of cargo between Dubai and Peshawar, facilitating travel and trade through commodity exports.
The inaugural flight landed at Bacha Khan International Airport in 1998, making it the airline’s second Pakistani city served, and the airline has since ensured seamless travel connectivity between Pakistan’s North Western city of Peshawar and Emirates’ network, including its hub city of Dubai.
Emirates presently operates five weekly flights from Peshawar using a Boeing 777-300ER wide-body aircraft, which can transport up to 428 people and 20 tonnes of cargo in the bellyhold.
For travellers travelling from and to Peshawar, Jeddah has emerged as the most popular destination. Travel to Medina for Hajj and Umrah was also popular over the years, while the UK (Manchester, London, and Birmingham), Turkey, Germany, and France were popular among leisure tourists and those pursuing further education overseas. Popular destinations for business and corporate travellers included China, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand. Dammam, Kuwait City, Baghdad, Tehran, Doha, and Istanbul are among the top Middle East destinations and places of origin, while the United States, Canada, South Africa, and Egypt are other popular destinations for visitors from Peshawar.
“As one of the longest-serving international carriers in Peshawar, Emirates has continuously strived to provide exceptional services, unparalleled connectivity, and a seamless travel experience to its valued passengers,” said Mohammed Alhashmi, Emirates’ Vice President for Pakistan, on the airline’s 25th anniversary of operations in Peshawar. Emirates has grown significantly over the last 25 years, firmly establishing itself as a trusted and preferred airline for both business and leisure travellers. We are proud to be a driver for economic growth, tourism, and cultural exchange, and we are eager to further our engagement with the lovely people of Peshawar. We would also want to thank all of our partners and important stakeholders for their ongoing support, which has enabled us to carry out our successful activities.”
Since operations began, Emirates’ aircrafts have flown 13.8 million miles in and out of Peshawar, enough to circumnavigate the globe almost 370 times. During the same time period, Emirates operated about 7,500 flights to and from the city.
Trade facilitator and partner with the UAE
The airline has also facilitated trade between Peshawar and the rest of the globe, assisting local industries and enterprises. Emirates SkyCargo, with its enormous cargo network and cutting-edge facilities, has been important in facilitating seamless transportation of goods, promoting export opportunities, and stimulating economic development in the country. Peshawar has also proven to be a key cargo destination for Pakistani airlines, with over 25,000 tonnes of cargo transported over the last 25 years. Perishable items such as fruits and vegetables, chilled meat, spices, textiles, and clothing have been key exports over the years, while imports have included medical equipment, pharmaceutical products, mobile phones, personal possessions, and home goods.
The UAE and Pakistan have had historical relations since the UAE’s inception in 1971. The UAE is Pakistan’s second major trading partner, and Pakistanis make up more than 12.5% of the UAE’s population (1.3 million), according to 2023 data, making them the UAE’s second most populous national group. Residents from Peshawar make up a sizable proportion of Pakistanis living in the UAE.
Peshawar and Pakistan services
Emirates remains committed to providing world-class services, comfort, and connection to Peshawar. As the airline celebrates this momentous milestone, it remains dedicated to the city, its people, and trade facilitation.
Emirates and Pakistan have a particular relationship that dates back nearly 38 years, when the airline’s inaugural flight from Dubai landed in Karachi on October 25, 1985. Since then, this historic alliance has flourished, with Emirates now operating over 50 weekly flights to five Pakistani cities, including Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, and Sialkot, which remain an important component of the airline’s network.
Flying with Emirates provides passengers with an unrivalled culinary experience, owing to regionally-inspired multi-course menus created by a team of award-winning chefs and accompanied by a wide range of premium beverages. With ice, Emirates’ award-winning in-flight entertainment system, customers can sit back and relax with over 6,500 channels of expertly curated worldwide entertainment material including movies, TV shows, music, podcasts, games, audiobooks and more. To keep passengers interested on flights, travellers can choose from regional content such as Urdu, Pashto, and Punjabi.
