Pakistan in talks with Cathay Pacific over resuming direct flights to Hong Kong, envoy says

In an exclusive interview with the Post, Pakistani consul general Riaz Ahmed Shaikh said the consulate had been “in contact” with Cathay regarding the resumption of routes.

“What we need to tell the airlines or convince them is that this route is not loss-making any more,” Shaikh said, arguing that “things have changed” in the 10 years since the cancellation of direct flights.

He cited China Southern Airlines’ existing flights between Guangzhou and Lahore – the capital of Punjab province – as an example of the increased demand.

“[Passengers] have always told me that sometimes, for three days, four days or even more days, they could not find a seat. It means traffic is there,” Shaikh said.

The mainland Chinese carrier has also started a service between the province and the country’s capital of Islamabad.

The envoy maintained that direct flights between the country and Hong Kong would help promote the trade of agricultural products, such as seasonal fruits and vegetables.

According to figures from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the country exported US$181 million worth of merchandise to Hong Kong in the 2023 financial year, which included US$5.19 million in edible offal of bovine animals, US$3.81 million in rice and US$2.96 million in maize.

Shaikh struck an optimistic tone about the route resumption, saying that from his understanding airlines had been gathering data on the feasibility of opening it up again.

The Post has approached Cathay for a response.

Hong Kong’s red outbound travel alert on Pakistan has been in effect since June 2014, the same month that direct flights were cancelled by Cathay. The alert, which is the second-highest, advises residents to adjust their travel plans or avoid non-essential trips to the country.

The list of security incidents for Pakistan was last updated on Tuesday to include a series of attacks in the province of Balochistan.

But Shaikh said travel to Pakistan remained open, safe and flexible, as his consulate continued to issue visas to tourists, businessmen and others.

He said the consulate received tourist visa applications from about 70 to 100 people every month in Hong Kong, many of whom were interested in adventure tourism.

To promote travel from Hong Kong to Pakistan, Shaikh highlighted the importance of raising awareness of the country as a tourist destination and ensuring that tour operators could be connected with reliable service providers.

Pakistan is a key partner in Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative that aims to promote regional trade integration. The South Asian country has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Education Bureau in January last year to improve strategic education collaboration between the two places, covering the exchange of scholars and students, as well as educational literature and teaching aids.

Shaikh said more than 500 students from the country were attending universities in the city.

According to the 2021 population census, 24,385 people self-identified as Pakistani in Hong Kong, making them the fifth largest non-Chinese ethnic group in the city.

Prior to assuming his current post in June, Shaikh served as the commercial counsellor in the Pakistan embassy in Beijing and at the High Commission of Pakistan in Kuala Lumpur, with his work surrounding the enhancement of bilateral trade and investment.

Reflecting on his time in the city since arriving three months ago, Shaikh said he had not experienced any bias or misunderstanding towards Pakistan in Hong Kong.

There were no barriers for Pakistanis seeking employment in either the private or public sectors, he added.

“Our people, which I have met, are employed in so many government departments already, since they are competing and employed, it shows that there is equal opportunity,” he said.

Looking ahead, Shaikh said he hoped to host an event next year that would showcase aspects of his country’s culture, cuisine and trade.

“We will promote in front of the Hong Kong people that we have a lot to offer,” he said.

Lighter side

What aspects of Hong Kong as a city do you enjoy the most?

The seamless connectivity I put it as No 1. Because of the weather, the other good thing, which I see in Hong Kong, is not only the connectivity, but the covered connectivity. You come out from MTR or from the bus, you move on from one building to the other building, you can go underground or through these pathways without making yourself wet in the rain.

Are there any Pakistani restaurants in Hong Kong that you enjoy?

Although there are not many Pakistani restaurants there, but some are really good on the Kowloon side and in Central, offering good ambience and food.

What are the must-visit attractions you recommend for visitors in Hong Kong?

From a tourist point of view, you have Disneyland and the water park, the Big Buddha – attractions that everybody knows. But in addition to those, I think it’d be better to go to the islands only served by ferry, where there is no car or bus, but only bicycles.

The beaches are also good. Tourists may not normally go there, but people who are living there do, like me living in Stanley.