PAC warns of using 2 runways of new Islamabad Airport at a time

Islamabad: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday visited the new Islamabad Airport and recommended that the two runways should not be used at a one time as the distance between them is narrow that may cause any accidents.

It was told to the PAC members during the visit that the flight kitchen and hotel at the new Islamabad Airport was not reserved which may cause a loss of Rs8 billion to Rs10 billion. The committee, headed by Syed Khursheed Shah, visited the new Islamabad Airport where Aviation Division and Civil Aviation Authority officials gave them briefing about the new Airport.

The Civil Aviation Authority officers told the committee that the new Islamabad Airport is completely prepared for the operational activity, and it has the capacity to cater nine million passengers annually while the supply of water and electricity has already started.

The committee was told that the Islamabad Airport project was started with the cost of Rs37 billion, but it has increased up to Rs105 billion, and during the last five years, 47 different projects of Islamabad Airport were completed.

It was further told to the committee that the total capacity of airport is to cater nine million passengers annually, while in the old airport there was a sitting capacity of 1,400 passengers, but in the new airport the sitting capacity of over 5,000 passengers.

The officials of the CAA told the committee that 50 bed hospital and trauma centre was also established at the new Islamabad Airport. The DG CAA told the committee all the successive governments had play their role in the construction of the new Islamabad airport and now it was completed and ready for operational.

Chairman PAC Syed Khursheed Shah said that Rs 6 billion to Rs 7 billion annually for its maintenance and the PAC had play a vital role in its construction. “The need of flight Kitchen and hotel was not taken care that caused a loss of Rs 8 to Rs 10 billion annually,” he said.

The CAA officials said all the things which were part of the master plan would be taken care of and ensured their construction. Chairman PAC Syed Khursheed Shah express his concerns for not renaming New Islamabad Airport on Shaheed Benazir Bhutto said that she did not belongs to one political party but represent the democracy in Pakistan and the name of airport should be named in her memory.

The officials of the CAA told the committee that the companies from where the machinery for the airport was purchased will look after its maintenance and besides it the regular employee of the CAA will also assist them. The officials told the committee that that the CAA was giving training to the pilots of theh airlines for the landing and take off at the runways of new Islamabad airport and all the international facilities were being provided to airlines.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed observed that the private housing societies in the surrounding areas of the New Islamabad Airport are security risks. The officials of the CAA replied that the housing societies get the NoC from the CAA prior of starting their operations.