NA body declares airport in Mansehra viable

MANSEHRA: A special committee constituted by National Assembly Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Reforms has declared the airport project launched by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz pervious government a highly viable and need of the hour.

“We have ordered the deputy commissioner not to return back an amount of Rs337 million released by the federal government for acquisition of 6,000 kanals of land and pay it to the affected families whose land has been acquired for the project,” Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MNA Muhammad Sajjad told a meeting of the special committee at Circuit House here on Tuesday.

The special committee led by Muhammad Sajjad and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MNA Saleh Muhammad Khan and Pakistan People’s Party MNA Syed Agha Rafiullah as its members discussed in details about pros and cons of the airport at Tanawal in Mansehra and asked the district administration to undertake its responsibilities for the in-time completion of the important project.

The meeting was also attended, among others, by deputy director, Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, officials of Planning and Development Department, officials of the district administration.

The MNA said the National Assembly in its unanimously-adopted resolution in May last year had demanded the federal government to pay land price to owners.

“Our next meeting would be held on November 30 in Islamabad and represent is recommendations to national assembly seeking an immediate release of money to landowners and complete this project in time,” said Sajjad. He said that the project was highly important as mega development projects were being executed here under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and influx of foreigners and business community would be diverted to districts in Hazara division.

“This airport could also be used as launching pad in case in natural calamities as lives of injured people could be saved in 2005 earthquake if an airport existed here,” he added. A local court earlier this week in a writ petition moved by district bar association had ordered KP chief secretary and other respondents to appear before in airport case.