PIA First Flight Cover  (Hassaan Mahmood Collection)

First Day Cover flown on PIA's first flight from Bogra to Dacca in East Pakistan on February 24, 1964. For short-haul operations in East Pakistan's delta region, based at Dacca, PIA set up a network of scheduled helicopter routes, using three amphibious twin-turbine Sikorsky S-61Ns which were delivered between October 1963 and February 1964. The first revenue flight took place on November 25, 1963, the first routes being to Khulna, center of the East Pakistan jute industry, and to Faridpur. The PIA S-61Ns were configured to carry a total of 24 passengers with four crew members and 1,800lb of cargo. The helicopter service network was expanded with flights offered to more places including Sirajgang, Kushtia, Chalna, Chandpur, Barisal, Sandwip, Hatia and Chittagong

PIA First Flight Cover  (Hassaan Mahmood Collection)

First Day Cover flown on PIA's first flight from Dacca to Canton via Shanghai on April 29, 1964. The historic first flight operated with a Boeing 720-040B jetliner made PIA the first airline from a non-communist country to operate flights to People's Republic of China

PIA First Flight Cover  (Hassaan Mahmood Collection)

First Day Cover flown on PIA's first flight from Shanghai to Dacca via Canton on April 29, 1964. The historic first flight operated with a Boeing 720-040B jetliner made PIA the first airline from a non-communist country to operate flights to People's Republic of China