A parliamentary panel Tuesday showed serious reservations over mismanagement and lack of basic facilities at New Islamabad International Airport (NIIA), which are causing great hardships for public. The Senate Standing Committee on Aviation met with Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan in the chair at New Islamabad International Airport.
The committee took the point of public importance moved by Senator Moula Bux Chandio in relation to various issues pertaining to mismanagement and lack of facilities at the new airport as referred by the House. Chandio said bathrooms are not in good condition while basic facilities for disabled persons are missing. The committee recommended for increase in number of staff. The committee members stated that all basic facilities are being provided at all international airports. The departure counters for Pakistanis are only two while the remaining ones are for foreigners. There are neither restaurants nor shops while parliamentarians' tickets are not being accepted by the system, as the MPs travel through vouchers.
Secretary Aviation Mohammad Saqib said the parliamentarians' reservations and complaints are correct but the airport was inaugurated before the time due to which new staff was not hired but arranged from other airports. There is still a lot of work needed to be done at the airport to facilitate public.
The committee chairman directed authorities concerned to resolve the public issues at earliest, facilitate passengers at per the international standards and report back to the committee.
The secretary aviation informed the committee that cabinet of the previous government had decided to outsource all the facilities at the airports and tender had been issued in this regard. The committee chairman told that help from private companies may be sought to make the airport attractive from inside.
Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bazenjo said a new airport can be set up in the time spent on the renovation of Quetta airport. Only one jetty is there which is not operational. The committee was informed that operators are being trained in Karachi and the jetty would be made operational in two weeks. The committee was further informed that 90 percent work on Peshawar airport has been completed while all the pending work would be completed by end-October. The committee recommended for release of funds for the residential camps on New Islamabad Airport for ASF staff.
The committee was informed about the suspension of flights of Shaheen Airlines during Hajj operation and difficulties faced by Pakistani pilgrims. Civil Aviation director general Hassan Baig said Shaheen Airlines had an allocated quota of 30,000 pilgrims. There were some payment issues in Saudi Arabia due to which permission was denied to the airline. The Ministry for Religious Affairs cut its quota to 22,000 and then to 11,000 but still situation did not improve and it was asked to take 5,000 pilgrims from Balochistan to Multan and Karachi.
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