Latest news with #IslamabadAirport
Business Recorder
19-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
G2G framework: Dar chairs meeting of Cabinet Committee
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, chaired the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions. The Committee considered G2G framework for the outsourcing of management and operations of Islamabad Airport. The committee after detailed discussions directed the Defence Division to re-submit the case for the consideration of the committee after seeking further details. The Committee also reviewed the railway project aimed at reducing congestion at KPT to facilitate movement of trade cargo. The Committee after thorough deliberations decided that the project should be financed through domestic resources. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
10-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Islamabad Airport: UK team says security arrangements in compliance with global standards
KARACHI: The UK Department for Transport has successfully completed a comprehensive three-day aviation security inspection at Islamabad International Airport, declaring aviation security arrangements satisfactory and in compliance with international standards. According to an ASF spokesperson, the successful inspection reflects the dedication and professionalism of Pakistan's airport security personnel in maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety and security. The three-member inspection team from the British civil aviation authority arrived at Islamabad Airport on July 8, 2025, to conduct the aviation security assessment that concluded on Thursday. The inspection aimed at evaluating and verifying aviation security protocols at Islamabad Airport against international aviation security standards. The Airports Security Force (ASF), who is responsible for civil aviation and airport security, ensured all operational measures were in place throughout the inspection process. The UK aviation security inspection team conducted a thorough on-site review of the airport's security arrangements, meticulously examining security deployment, internal controls, passenger and baggage screening procedures, pass issuance and access control systems, vehicle and staff screening protocols, and CCTV operations and surveillance systems. Meanwhile, the team also assessed perimeter security measures, Quick Response Force deployment, anti-drone security arrangements, ASF emergency response capabilities, and the implementation of other safety and security measures. A meeting was also held with the Chief Security Officer and all relevant airport stakeholders participating in the proceedings. Following the comprehensive evaluation, the British aviation security team commended the ASF for their efforts in maintaining secure air travel operations. The inspection team praised the professional standards maintained at the facility and confirmed that all security protocols met international requirements. The positive outcome of the inspection is expected to strengthen confidence in Pakistan's aviation security systems and may facilitate enhanced cooperation between Pakistani and British aviation authorities in the future. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
01-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Ranked 100th – Celebrate Like #1
After a year of economic turbulence, Pakistan's economy seems to have crawled out of intensive care. Inflation has cooled. The current account is no longer haemorrhaging. The rupee has stopped fainting. The doctors in charge—whoever and wherever they are—deserve a polite golf clap. Of course, deep structural flaws remain, and the recent budget did little to suggest reformist ambitions, but that's a story for another day. For now, it's fair to say: things were bad, they're less bad now. Celebrate? Sure. Overstate? Apparently, yes. Fabricate? Why not! One might assume that a government enjoying full-spectrum dominance—with the judiciary nodding, the military saluting, and the opposition napping—wouldn't need to invent good news. There's real stuff to work with. But Islamabad, ever the overachiever in narrative control, just can't help itself. Take, for instance, the recent spectacle over the Henley Passport Index. The Government of Pakistan's official X account proudly declared, 'Pakistan's Passport Earns Global Recognition', hailing it as a 'notable milestone in Global Mobility.' Sounds impressive—until you read the fine print: Pakistan ranks 100th out of 103. Only Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan are below. Global mobility, indeed—just not forward. Officials even credited 'new e-gates' at domestic airports for this international breakthrough. One imagines a team of bureaucrats proudly scanning their own passports at Islamabad Airport and calling it a visa-free success. Never mind that Pakistan's 'global mobility' score of 32 means visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to just 32 countries—a list that could double as a geography quiz most Pakistanis would fail. Go ahead, try finding Tuvalu, Niue, or Palau Islands on a map—or even spelling them. When your mobility milestone includes access to Vanuatu, Micronesia, and Montserrat, the only thing moving globally is the punchline. Faced with ridicule, the post vanished. Deleted. No clarification. No accountability. Just a digital puff of wait—there's more. Another round of chest-thumping emerged from a supposed 'Bloomberg Intelligence Global Emerging Market Default Risk Ranking,' where Pakistan, topped the chart. Yes, Pakistan's default risk outlook has improved. Credit default swaps have narrowed. Ratings agencies have softened their tone. But why let nuance get in the way of a perfectly viral slogan? By no stretch of imagination does this indicate Pakistan being the 'most improved economy' in the world as headlines have had it. It would be funny, if it weren't so tragic. Because here's the real scoreboard: 44 percent of Pakistanis live below the poverty line. 52 percent of households still use firewood to cook. 22 percent don't have a kitchen. 25 million children are out of school. In a country with such staggering deficits in human development, spending energy on barely believable self-congratulatory fiction should be—at best—a footnote. At worst, a farce. Here's hoping that simply pointing out the bare minimum doesn't irk the 'hybrid.' Then again, satire is only dangerous when it holds a mirror.
Express Tribune
23-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
PM Shehbaz Sharif inaugurates Jinnah Square Murree Road Underpass
Listen to article Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated on Friday the newly constructed Jinnah Square Murree Road Underpass, a project completed in 35 days. The underpass, which spans approximately 479 metres and features three traffic lanes, is part of a broader initiative to create a signal-free corridor from Islamabad Airport to Murree, aimed at alleviating traffic congestion and reducing travel time for commuters. During the inauguration ceremony, PM Sharif commended Interior Minister Senator Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi and his team, including Chairperson Capital Development Authority (CDA) Muhammad Ali Randhawa and IG Islamabad Police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, for their efforts in completing the project swiftly. He described the initiative as nationally beneficial, ensuring smooth connectivity to the scenic tourist destination of Murree. 'It has been due to the unity and harmony of the nation and the blessings of Almighty Allah. Moreover, the meritorious history of the nation will be remembered by the enemy forever,' the prime minister said. Apart from the underpass, the project includes a road network and landscaping. PM Sharif noted that the nearly 9-kilometre-long connectivity route would not only benefit the residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad but also the entire nation through its enhanced connectivity heading towards Murree. Earlier, Interior Minister Naqvi briefed PM Sharif on the project's progress and future plans, including the design work for the Shaheen Chowk Underpass and upcoming tourism projects such as a Safari Park and Chairlift in the Murree region. The event was attended by Federal Ministers Hanif Abbasi, Dr Tariq Fazl Chaudhary, Ministers of State Talal Chaudhary and Talha Burki, and other parliamentarians. Moreover, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also inaugurated the Nawaz Sharif Flyover in Sargodha. Provincial Minister Sohaib Ahmed Bharth informed her that the project had been completed in eight months at a cost of Rs2.2 billion. More than 30,000 vehicles are expected to use the 1.3km-long flyover daily. People travelling to Sargodha from Khushab, Mianwali and Bhakkar will benefit from the project.
Gulf Today
07-05-2025
- Gulf Today
Flight operations resume at major Pakistani airports
Flight operations at multiple airports, including Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi, have resumed after an eight-hour suspension prompted by escalating tensions between Pakistan and India. Aviation officials said that multiple flights resumed from major airports. At Karachi airport, two international flights and one domestic flight operated on Wednesday, signaling the gradual restoration of services. From Lahore, the first flight to Karachi - PA-401 operated by a private airline - departed. Meanwhile, international flights from Karachi saw varied schedules. PK-607 bound for Dubai departed ahead of time, while TK-709 for Istanbul was delayed. Passengers wait outside at Jinnah International Airport after all domestic and international flights were cancelled. AFP Additionally, Jeddah-Lahore flight PK-842, which had landed in Karachi due to escalation, was sent onward to Lahore Wednesday morning. Despite resumption of airport operation, the Pakistan International Airline (PIA) suspended its regular flight operations for 12 hours. On the other hand, Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) officials said Islamabad's airspace is open for flights. Furthermore, they said that Islamabad Airport's flight operation has also been restored as four private planes landed here. Meanwhile, the PAA has issued a new Notam (Notice to Airmen), announcing the re-closure of Lahore's airspace for various flight routes. The Notam states that the routes within Lahore's airspace will be closed for 24 hours. The Notam also confirmed the resumption of flight operations at the Islamabad Airport. It said incoming flights will be permitted to arrive in Islamabad after coordination and assistance from the Air Traffic Control. Pakistan had suspended flight operations at major airports following India's attack inside the country on Tuesday-Wednesday night.
