PAF restrictions on foreign company illegal: PHC

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday declared the Pakistan Air Force's restrictions on a foreign company, not allowing it into the tarmac of the Bacha Khan International Airport citing security reasons, as illegal and against the agreement.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Musarrat Hilali allowed writ petition of a foreign company M/s Gerry's Dnata (Pvt) Limited against the letter of PAF. Let the functioning of the petitioner company at Bacha Khan International as per the license agreement issued on December 8, 2016 continue and directed the respondents not to refuse the petitioner company to perform its Ground Handling Operations at Bacha Khan International Airport.

The court also directed to allow the entrance of the petitioner company's equipment lying outside the airport to be used by the petitioner company in carrying out its business. The company moved the high court against the PAF orders claiming that ground handling services at the Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar were part of the company's agreement with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Ali Gohar Durrani, counsel for the company, informed the bench that despite court directives, the PAF had stopped the movement of the company's vehicles and personnel working at the airport to apron area of the airport, causing huge loss to the company as it was providing ground handling services.

The counsel submitted that the company had been engaged in airport ground handling services of various airlines in Pakistan since 1993 and has offices in Peshawar, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Quetta and Multan airports. He said the company had good reputation both nationally and internationally.

He stated that the director general Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had accorded approval for renewal of the licence agreement to the petitioner company for services at the airport and the permission is effective from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2022.

On the other hand, Aamir Javed, counsel for Pakistan Air Force (PAF), informed the court that a foreign company is not allowed into the tarmac of the Bacha Khan International Airport for security reasons.

The PAF through the letter restricted the company to the terminal building only and banned its staff and vehicles movement to the apron - airport area where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded.

Aamir Javed informed the division bench that the PAF had not authorised the CAA to give its land to foreign company. He also denied the claim of the company that Shaheen Airport Services Ltd (SAPS) was a subsidiary of Pakistan Air Force.