The federal government has decided to immediately begin work on the construction of an international cargo airport in Dera Ismail Khan and to make the existing airport functional, following a proposal by Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the government has approved the implementation of the project near Yarik, which is linked to CPEC. 

He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had promised the project during his visit to Dera Ismail Khan in 2024 at the invitation of Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

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He further stated that the existing airport will soon be made operational, and protective embankments will be constructed to safeguard it from flash floods caused by hill torrents.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that after the CPEC project, Dera Ismail Khan has already been connected to international trade through land and sea routes, and now linking it via air routes marks another milestone.

The move is expected to boost economic development and enhance trade connectivity in the region.