CAA complains of budget constraints on development side

ISLAMABAD: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) told the Standing Committee of National Assembly on Aviation that it has been experiencing budget constraints on the development side for several years, and as a result, the CAA is using second-generation equipment, whereas developed countries are utilizing the latest third-generation equipment.

The meeting of the Standing Committee of National Assembly on Aviation was held Nawabzada Iftikhar Ahmed Khan Babar in the chair at Parliament House on Monday. It was also informed that the privatisation process of PIAC has almost completed.

The Committee also emphasized the need to improve the quality of food service and the behavior of CAA staff towards passengers in order to enhance the overall travel experience. The committee was briefed that the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s (PMD) has planned to install five new radars in Quetta, Dera Ismail Khan, Cherat, Gwadar, and Lahore.

Moreover, 3 mobile radars and 300 automatic weather stations were also be installed under World Bank funded Hydromet Project. The Committee was also informed that Pakistan Disaster Management (PDM) is developing a Kisan Mobile application aims to provide farmers and other state departments with early weather forecasts and flood warnings.

Additionally, the Committee expressed concerns about the cracks in the aircraft parking area at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore. In response, the CAA acknowledged the issue and reported that the work has been awarded and is currently underway.

The Committee also raised concerns about the appointment of aero-medical staff and the licensing of pilots and recommended that the relevant authorities submit a comprehensive report on these matters.