GHAZNI - A civil airport in south-eastern Ghazni province was inaugurated on Saturday with a private company’s aircraft landing on the runway for the first time ever.

Work on the airport project was started four months ago and completed at the cost of $7 million.

In his comments at the inaugural ceremony, the Governor of Ghazni province, Musa Khan Akbarzada, said that the airport was one of the important projects of 2013 aimed at preparing Ghazni to serve as capital of the Islamic civilization.

The airport would be used by residents of Ghazni and other provinces, he added.

The Deputy Minister of Transport, Qasim Wafayee Zada, promised that the airport runway would be properly paved and asphalted soon to address concerns about landing safety.

He urged the government to improve the airport to international standards, connecting Ghazni with the outside world.

The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (MoTCA) would improve the terminal in the near future, he promised.

The Chief of Ufaq Sharq Airlines, Jahid Azimi, said that according to a contract signed between his company and the Afghan Government, two flights would operate weekly between Ghazni and Kabul on Saturdays and Thursdays.

The local authorities had assured the company of satisfactory security around the airport, he said, adding that they would soon open an office in the provincial capital to facilitate ticket sales.

Source: Pajhwok Afghan News