OREANDA-NEWS. June 15, 2015. Emirates, a global connector of people, places and economies, today announced its plans to launch services to Multan, Pakistan, beginning 1st August, 2015.

Service to Multan, Pakistan’s 5th largest city by population, will commence with four weekly flights operated by a Boeing 777-300 in a two-class configuration - 54 seats in Business Class and 310 in Economy Class.  The aircraft can carry up to 23 tonnes of cargo, opening up many more trade opportunities in the region.

Multan is one of the world’s oldest cities with a rich history as a cultural and trade hub. Located on the banks of the Chenab River in the Punjab province of Pakistan, Multan is famous for agricultural products such as wheat, cotton, sugar cane, mangoes, citrus, guavas, and pomegranates.

Multan is also a commercial and industrial centre, well connected with other industrial hubs such as Lahore, Karachi, Gujranwala, Quetta and Faisalabad.  The major industries in Multan include fertilizer, cosmetics, glass manufacturing, cotton production and processing, large textile units, flour mills, sugar, and oil mills.  Exports from the region include traditional Multani shoes, embroidery on dresses for women and men, furniture, wooden products, pottery, camel-skin ware, surgical instruments and carpets.

“As we approach our 30 year anniversary of services to Pakistan, we’re reminded of the strong ties we have with the country”, said Ahmed Khoory, Senior Vice President Commercial Operations West Asia and Indian Ocean. “The additional services to Karachi and the introduction of Multan to our network will position Pakistan as Emirates’ fourth most highly served country worldwide with 80 return flights a week operating between Dubai and Pakistan. Furthermore, not only will Emirates be the first airline to offer wide-body premium cabin service to Multan, this new route will help boost global trade and economic opportunities in the region and provide additional travel options to Pakistanis wanting to connect with friends, families, and colleagues throughout our network of over 140 destinations worldwide.”

Service to Multan to begin on 1st August 2015

Emirates flight EK630 will depart Dubai at 18:20 and arrive in Multan at 22:00 on Mondays, Tuesday, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.  The return flight EK631 will leave Multan at 23:30, arriving in Dubai at 01:20.

Additional services to Karachi from 1st July 2015

Emirates will also introduce five additional weekly fights to Karachi, starting 1st July. Emirates flight EK618 will depart Dubai at 04:50 and arrive in Karachi at 08:00 on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  The return flight EK619 will leave Karachi at 09:40, arriving in Dubai at 10:55.

Tickets for Multan and Karachi are now available to purchase via Emirates.com or your preferred Travel Agent.

About Emirates and Pakistan

Multan is Emirates’ sixth destination in Pakistan, and further strengthens our network in Pakistan – a journey that began nearly 30 years ago. Karachi was the airline’s first route in 1985 and Emirates will be operating 47 flights to the city each week as of 1st July. Flights to Peshawar were launched in 1998, and in 1999 both Lahore and Islamabad were added to the Emirates network.  Most recently, flights to Sialkot began in 2013.