The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat has expressed serious concern and resentment over Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for giving contradictory statements about completion of construction work of New Islamabad Airport and summoned the secretary and director general CAA. The committee met with Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood in the chair and discussed the issues relating to New Islamabad Airport, Metro Project and others.
In previous meeting of the committee, the CAA had given assurance to the committee for completion of construction work on New Islamabad Airport and landing plane but the date of inauguration of New Airport were extend many times.
The committee chairman expressed strong displeasure over the contradict statements of the official of CAA and summoned the secretary and DG Civil Aviation Authority Division in the next meeting for explanation.
The chairman of the committee said that according to his personal information, there is a lot of work on the new Islamabad airport. He said that the airport is incomplete and there was no international contract to run it. A lot of work was not completed except baggage service, he added.
Replying to a question of the committee chairman, an official of CAA told that the date of inauguration of the New Airport Islamabad was not fixed in December 2017, adding that it is possible in January 2018.
The chairman said that the government had announced 14th August 2017 date of inauguration of new airport and the CAA had given this date to the Committee. He said that CAA had told the committee that it could land plane yesterday but it is not possible due the National Highway Authority (NHA).
The chairman directed the CAA to conduct complete demarcation to the boundaries of housing societies around the third runway of the airport. He said that boards should be raised about residential, commercial areas and construction work. He said that notices should be issued before stopping any illegal work. The committee also summoned the deputy commissioners of Attock and Rawalpindi in the next meeting.