MULTAN, May 26th:Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani will inaugurate the First phase of Multan airport upgradation on June 19. Chinese Xinjiang Bexien Construction Company today handed over the completion certificate to the Civil Aviation Authority.Whern contacted the Director North of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)said we have very successfully completed the first phase of upgradation of Multan airport and it is expected that Boeing, Jamboo, airbus and wide bodied cargo plane operation would begin from June Ist. Air blue, Emirate airlinesa, Lufthansa and other airlines intended to introduce direct flights from Multan for Dubai, Abudhabi, London, Gulf states and Saudi Arabia.CAA had earmarked Rs. 4.5 billion (US$72.9 million) for the upgradation of Multan Airport as International Status. From the total allocated budget of Rs. 4.5 billion for the project, Rs. 3.5 billion is being spent by CAA from its Annual Development Program Budget (ADB) whereas the remaining amount of Rs 1 billion is being covered by the Government of Pakistan. President of Multan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) Malik Asrar Ahmed Awan has hailed the fulfilment of commitment of upgradation of Multan airport as Internation status by the Government and said that this step would help in promotion of export of mango, citrus, fresh vegetables to Gulf as well as Eauropean Union. Now Wide bodies planes could be landed here easily.He said that It was a long standing dream of Multan Chamber which came true after decades. He said that Not only PIA but other airlines should launch their cargo as well passengers operation for international destinations from Multan. Malik Asrar Ahmed Awan said that Pakistani Mango was being liked by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom but PIA had provided little space for Multani exporters of Mangoes which must be equal to the requirement besides providing other facilities like subsidized freight.It may be recalled that Multan airport was expanded so that wide-bodied aircraft could land and take off for direct international passenger and cargo flights. Runway was extended from 9,000 to 11,000 feet, increasing the width of runway to 150 feet with 25 feet shoulders on each side, thus the runway was upgraded to Category E (Suitable for Boeing 747 aircraft). Other improvements included expansion of terminal buildings in second phase, The first phase, expansion of runway, taxi-way and apron was carried out at an estimated cost of Rs 1.8 billion; while the second phase includes construction of a new terminal building and the allied facilities.It is expected that Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani would inaugurate the first phase in the first week of June 2010.