Non-profitable routes: Senate body suggests mandatory operation of private airlines

Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production Wednesday recommended that private airlines' operation on non-profitable routes should be made mandatory and no new company be allowed international operations, till the completion of its three-year term on domestic routes.
The committee, which met with Senator Lieutenant General (Retd) Javed Ashraf Qazi in the chair here at the Parliament House, was briefed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on the proposed Aviation Policy, 2011; progress on Benazir Bhutto International Airport and Gwadar Airport projects.
The CAA officials informed the committee that Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar has approved a proposal, making the flights' registration process easier. The committee expressed concerns on non-operation of the private airlines on non-profitable routes and asked the authority concerned to make it compulsory for them to fly on these routes. Earlier, the CAA officials informed the panel that most of the private airlines were operating on the profitable routes instead of flying on the non-profitable routes. The committee also asked the CAA to incorporate the recommendations of the panel in its new Aviation Policy.
Officials of the Ministry of Defence told the committee that Minister for Defence has forwarded a number of amendments in the policy, which are being considered. They said that the policy would be placed before the federal cabinet after incorporating all the required amendments.
The panel also took up the issue of a mysterious young man who fell off a plane, crashing on the roof of a house in 'North Cantonment' area of Lahore. Officials of the Defence Ministry informed the committee that a joint investigation team comprising airport security, defence officials and police, has been formed headed by Joint Secretary Aviation, Arshad Farooq Faheem to resolve the mystery. The committee was further told that the autopsy report of the man has been received by the police the other day and the investigation team would focus on the report.
The committee also asked the Ministry of Defence to write to provincial government of Balochistan to settle land dispute acquired for constructing Gwadar Airport, as the panel was told that taking over possession of the land was a major hurdle in launching of the mega project.
Officials of the Ministry of Defence told the panel that land measuring about 4,300 acres was handed over to CAA on May 13, 2008 with some occupied pockets by the ex-Kathedar/landlords on the provincial government assurance that same will be vacated shortly despite the fact that disbursement of compensation had been made to the owners by EDO Revenue, Gwadar in May, 2008, which shows that the bogus claimants are active to grease their palms, seeking payment for land already acquired. They said that the provincial government has many a times been requested verbally and in writing to help resolve the issue.
The officials further said that the law and order situation at Gwadar in particular and the rest of the province in general was also hindering progress on the project and currently the site is constantly a hunting ground for various groups, not allowing the CAA/contractor to proceed with the work as per schedule. About the new Benazir International Airport, Islamabad, the officials said that the state-of-the-art airport, with modular facilities for both domestic and international passengers would likely be completed by September this year.