DUSHANBE, April 7, Asia-Plus  -- Mirzo Mastongulov, the first director general of Tajikistan’s national air carrier TajikAir, died in Dushanbe yesterday morning, aged 69 after a short illness.  

Mirzo Mastongulov headed the Tajik national air carrier Tojikiston from 1992 to 2001.   Mr. Mastongulov was initiator of the establishment of the first private air carrier in Tajikistan – Somon Air.  Boeing 737-800 wet-leased by the company from Turkey operated the first flight to Moscow on February 5 this year.  

In one of his interviews with Asia-Plus, Mr. Mastongulov said in February this year that Somon Air would increase its flying stock this year.  Besides Moscow, Somon Air plans to operate fights also to Almaty (Kazakhstan),   Istanbul (Turkey), Sharjah (the United Arab Emirates) and Urumqi (China).