Islamabad: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will inaugurate the New Islamabad International Airport in April this year, the biggest project ever undertaken in the history of Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. This has been decided in a high level meeting held in the PM office on 20th February, 2018, documents reveal. The CAA, in this regard has been told by the PM office that PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will inaugurate the much awaited new airport between 15th to 20th April, 2018 and a specific date will be conveyed to the aviation division in this regard.
Documents state that the Chairman CAA/Secretary Aviation has approved ‘a dedicated and focused approach to achieve smooth operationalisation and inauguration activity as per the mechanism outlined.’
A three tier team has been formulated comprising Steering Committee for Operationalisation of IIAP and Task Forces for Completion of the Project and Operationalization & Inauguration.
The document reads, “The Management Committee shall be headed by Secretary Aviation/Chairman CAA Board. DGCAA, AD DG and both DDGs shall be the members of the committee. The Management Committee shall directly oversee and monitor the progress on all issues leading to a successful operationalisation and inauguration of IIAP. The Management Committee shall intervene if a delay is observed and quick collective decision making is required. The Steering Committee shall report to the Management Committee and shall be headed by DDG APS. Other members include Director Commercial 8, Estate, Director HR, Director ND, Director APS, Director CNS Engineering, Director Operations, and Director Engineering Services. The Steering Committee shall be frequently meeting together at the IIAP Project site or HQCAA to undertake swift decision making, wherever needed in order to successfully opertaionalize and inaugurate IIAP in accordance with the set timelines”.
The documents further reveal, “Two Tasks Forces shall report to the Steering Committee. One Task Force shall be headed by Project Director IIAP and comprising of key members of the Project Management Unit (PMU) and the Project Management Consultant (PMC). This Task Force shall ensure completion of all the responsibilities associated with the Project activities well before the inauguration date. Similarly the second Task Force on IIAP Operationalisation & Inauguration shall be headed by a director who shall be exclusively positioned at the IIAP project site along with its members. Those task-oriented officers/officials shall be selected as members who have a proven track record for successful completion of tasks/projects and have the ability to act as a high speed catalysts in expediting the completion of particular activities of the process. This Task Force shall ensure completion of each and every activity and the process involving internal and all the external stakeholders for successful completion of all tasks and activities well before the inauguration date. The Management Committee can however directly seek answers to its questions from either of the two Task Forces to expeditiously manage the entire process.”
It is considered pertinent to mention here that IIAP Project is the biggest project ever undertaken in the history of Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and it is now time that all employees of CAA shall stand together and work tirelessly to successfully achieve the challenging operationalisation and inauguration timelines by exhibiting highest level of professional excellence and competence and at the same time taking pride in being part of one of the most prestigious and landmark projects in the history of aviation in the country.”