flydubai Launches First International Flights to Pokhara; CAAN Chief Jailed in Airport Corruption Case
Pokhara achieved a historic milestone as flydubai launched daily non-stop flights between Dubai and Pokhara International Airport, making it the first airline to operate scheduled international routes to Nepal's adventure tourism capital. The breakthrough came as a former Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal director general was ordered held in custody in a corruption case tied to the airport's construction procurement, and as Dashain preparations brought Himalayan livestock traders into the city ahead of Nepal's biggest festival.
🏢 flydubai Inaugurates Daily Dubai-Pokhara Flights, First International Service to the City
flydubai launched daily non-stop service between Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Pokhara International Airport (PHH) on September 25, 2026, becoming the first airline to operate scheduled international flights to the city and establishing Pokhara as Nepal's third airport with international air connectivity, alongside Kathmandu and Bhairahawa. The new route brings flydubai's total weekly flights to Nepal to 35, adding to four daily flights already serving Kathmandu. The airline has carried more than 4.5 million passengers on Kathmandu routes since launching operations to Nepal in 2009, with 65 percent of that traffic connecting onward through the flydubai and Emirates network via Dubai. Sudhir Sreedharan, divisional senior vice president of commercial operations at flydubai, described the service as a seamless, non-stop link to Nepal's tourism capital and the principal gateway to the Annapurna Mountain range, eliminating the need for connections through Kathmandu or extended road journeys. The expansion makes flydubai the airline with the widest network between Dubai and South Asia, flying to 20 destinations across the region with over 380 weekly flights. For Nepal's Desi diaspora in the Gulf — a large and growing community — the route means direct access to Pokhara's lakes, trails and family connections without transiting Kathmandu, a substantial convenience for trekkers, tourists and those visiting relatives in western Nepal. [7]
🗳️ Former CAAN Chief Sanjiv Gautam Ordered Held in Pokhara Airport Consultancy Fraud
Former director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), Sanjiv Gautam, has been ordered to remain in custody pending trial in a corruption case arising from the construction of Pokhara Regional International Airport, according to OnlineKhabar's October 6, 2026 report. A joint bench of Supreme Court justices Dr Nahakul Subedi and Tek Prasad Dhungana upheld an earlier Special Court custody order, ruling that Gautam should remain detained while the case proceeds. The allegations concern the procurement of consultancy services under the agreement between CAAN and China CAMC Engineering Co., Ltd. for the airport's construction. Under the original agreement, consultancy costs were to be covered under a provisional sum. The prosecution alleges those services were procured in violation of that framework: a separate and inflated cost estimate was prepared, allowing expenditure from a budget outside the original agreement's terms, causing public funds to be misused or lost. The corruption case names 55-plus accused, including Chinese contractors. Pokhara International Airport has been a focal point of controversy since opening, entangled in debate over Chinese loan terms and procurement practices. The Supreme Court's decision to keep Gautam in custody signals continued judicial scrutiny of the airport's troubled financial history and meaningful progress in Nepal's anti-corruption enforcement against senior public officials. [6]
🎉 Dashain Livestock Trade Opens as 10,000 Animals Expected to Reach Pokhara
The annual Dashain livestock market in Pokhara opened in early October as the first batch of 100 sheep and mountain goats arrived from Dolpa district, according to The Himalayan Times report from October 5, 2026. Trader Min Prasad Bohara transported the season's first consignment to Pokhara and sold 30 animals on the first day of trading. Goats sourced from Dolpa are currently priced between Rs 21,000 and Rs 40,000 per head depending on size and quality, while sheep are generally sold at lower prices. Traders expect more than 10,000 animals to reach Pokhara before Dashain concludes, sourced from multiple Himalayan and hilly districts including Mustang, Bajhang, Humla, Surkhet and Dolpa. Dashain is Nepal's most significant Hindu celebration, spanning fifteen days in the autumn month of Ashwin, and the ritual slaughter of goats is a central practice for millions of Nepali families. Pokhara serves as a regional hub for livestock coming down from the high-altitude districts of western Nepal, connecting mountain pastoral communities with the city's urban consumers and festival market. The trade sustains livelihoods across a long supply chain from Himalayan herders to urban traders. For the Desi community in and around Pokhara, the opening of the livestock market is the most visible sign that the festival season has arrived. [3]
🗳️ Metropolitan City Begins Demolishing Damaged Admin Building, Approves Rs 65 Crore Replacement
Pokhara Metropolitan City began demolishing its main administrative building on New Road after it sustained damage during protest movements in Bhadra 2082, leaving it unusable for over a year, according to Ratopati's October 6, 2026 report. The demolition contract was awarded to Sesika Suppliers. During the period the building stood empty, the metropolitan city paid Rs 7.54 lakh per month in rent for temporary service space at Nayabazar — a substantial ongoing cost the city administration was eager to end. The Metropolitan City initially planned a comprehensive Rs 2 billion administrative complex at Birauta, Pokhara-17. That plan stalled due to insufficient funding from federal and provincial governments and the city's own limited financial resources. A revised and substantially reduced project report has now been approved through an executive meeting, with the replacement building budgeted at Rs 65 crore. Information officer Krishna Prasad Tiwari confirmed that construction will proceed under the revised plan. Even so, the new building will not fully consolidate all city services: the Agriculture Division will operate from Malpatan and the Health Division from a former Lekhnath Municipality structure. The situation reflects broader fiscal constraints facing Nepal's metropolitan cities as they balance ambitious development mandates against the realities of multi-tiered federal budget allocations. [2]
Sources: [7] flydubai · [6] OnlineKhabar English News · [3] The Himalayan Times · [2] Ratopati