Latest news with #PCAA


Arab News
5 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi aviation team to conduct security audit of seven Pakistani airports in August
KARACHI: A Saudi aviation team will conduct a security audit of seven Pakistani airports in August, a Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) spokesperson said on Wednesday. The security audit will cover airports in Pakistan's Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Sialkot, and Multan cities, PCAA spokesperson Shahid Qadir said. He said the director-general of Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has approached Pakistan's DG PCAA, Nadir Shafi Dar, to conduct the aviation security audit. 'A Saudi aviation security team will visit Pakistan in the coming month and will conduct this audit in August and onwards,' Qadir told Arab News. The Saudi aviation team is coordinating closely with the PCAA's Directorate of Aviation Security (AvSec), which will host the visiting delegation, Qadir said. The PCAA's director general has designated the AvSec director to oversee the audit process, he added. This marks the second such audit by Saudi aviation authorities, who conducted their inaugural security assessment of Pakistan in 2023. The Saudi team later expressed satisfaction with Pakistan's aviation security procedures, which involve multiple stakeholders such as the Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA), the Airport Security Force (ASF), airlines, cargo handlers and catering companies. The development takes place as Pakistan's civil aviation sector shows marked improvement in international benchmarks. Following the separation of the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) from the PCAA and the enactment of the Civil Aviation Authority Act, Pakistan has achieved a score of 86.73 percent in the International Civil Aviation Organization's Universal Security Audit Programme (USAP). As per the PCAA, this rating is higher than the global average of 71 percent and India's 73 percent. Separately, a two-member team from the United Kingdom's Department for Transport (DfT) began its aviation security assessment of the Islamabad International Airport on Tuesday. The team, accompanied by a representative of the British High Commission, will review airport security procedures, catering, and flight operations over its three-day visit. 'All aviation security stakeholders, including PAA officials, ASF personnel and representatives from PIA, British Airways, Air Blue, Kitchen Cuisine, Ras Menzies and others attended the initial briefing,' a PCAA handout said. The PCAA said Pakistan has previously performed well in the UK's DfT audits, saying that officials are optimistic about the outcome of the latest assessment. The PCAA said its director general has also initiated engagement with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in pursuit of direct flight operations to the US. The development follows Pakistan's national carrier resuming flights to Europe in January after the European aviation safety agency lifted its four-year ban on the airline. Pakistan International Airlines has also approached UK authorities for permission to resume its services to the country. PIA was banned by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), UK and the US after Pakistan opened an investigation into the validity of pilots' licenses following a PIA plane crash in Karachi in May 2020 that killed 97 people.


Express Tribune
29-06-2025
- Climate
- Express Tribune
Rain havoc grounds light aircraft in Karachi
PCAA informed PPRA that there were serious anomalies in the examination system of pilots, pointed out in July last year by a high-level inquiry. PHOTO: FILE Monsoon rains and associated gusty winds forced authorities at Jinnah International Airport on Saturday to ground small training aircraft as a precaution, while weather-related incidents raised fresh concerns over aviation safety at one of the country's busiest terminals. According to sources, light-weight aircraft such as Cessna and Piper models were ordered to halt flight operations due to reduced visibility and unstable wind conditions around Karachi airport and its surroundings. The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) directed that all single-engine planes be grounded as a safety measure.


Business Recorder
04-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Karachi Airport's main runway upgrade reaches 53%, says PCAA
The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) on Wednesday announced that the upgradation of Runway 07L/25R at Jinnah International Airport (JIAP) has reached 53% completion by the end of May 2025, exceeding the planned target of 51%. 'The project, which began in July 2024, is progressing on schedule and is expected to be completed by January 2026,' PCAA said in a statement. The authority informed that double shift operations are ongoing at the site 'to ensure timely delivery of this vital national infrastructure'. PCAA shared that a key milestone was achieved with the arrival of the first shipment of imported Airfield Lighting (AFL) equipment at the project site. 'In preparation for the deployment of this advanced system, PAA engineers have successfully completed training abroad,' it said. 'Valued at Rs8.3 billion, the JIAP Runway Upgradation Project reflects the Authority's commitment to enhancing airport infrastructure across Pakistan,' it added. Once completed, the upgrade will allow Karachi Airport to achieve Category 4F status, making it capable of handling wide-body aircraft with higher operational requirements. This upgrade is expected to attract both domestic and international airlines to operate at JIAP in the future. Upon completion of the upgrade, it will feature the latest energy-efficient LED CAT-I Airfield Lighting System with runway centreline lights. The project also includes an extension of the runway by 1,000 feet, making it 11,500 feet. Reconstruction of taxiways and overruns at both ends, and asphaltic overlay of four taxi links near the 07L end.


Indian Express
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Following India's airstrike, Pakistan declares Rahim Yar Khan airbase's sole runway non-operational for a week
After India's military strike at the Rahim Yar Khan airbase in Pakistan's Punjab province, the sole runway at the airbase has been declared as non-operational for a week, according to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) Saturday evening, and reviewed by The Indian Express. The NOTAM took effect at 4 pm Pakistan time (4:30 pm IST) on Saturday (May 10) and will be in effect at least till 4:59 am Pakistan time (5:29 IST) on May 18. The NOTAM said that closure is due to work in progress, without going into specifics, and that it will not be available for flight operations. The temporary closure of this important airbase in the southern part of Pakistan's Punjab province and the timing and duration of the closure lends credence to reports that claimed that the facility's runway was directly hit by an Indian missile, and needed extensive repair work. 'RWY NOT AVBL FOR FLT OPERATION WIP.,' the NOTAM stated. According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), use of the code 'WIP' in a NOTAM refers to work in progress. As per the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 'WIP' describes any work being done on the airport surface. Given that the NOTAM specifically mentions the runway at the airbase, it indicates that work in progress is on the runway itself. The Rahim Yar Khan airbase also houses the Sheikh Zayed International airport. Its sole runway—Runway 01/19—has a bituminous surface and is 3,000 metres or 9,843 feet in length, per airport data available on Flightradar24. The airbase was one the multiple key Pakistani military targets that India hit amid a military conflict that lasted four days, before the two nuclear-powered neighbours arrived at a ceasefire understanding on Saturday evening. The airbase was among the six Pakistani military targets hit on Saturday—Rafiki, Murid, Chaklala, Sukkur and Juniya being the other five—by India using 'air-launched precision weapons' from Indian fighter aircraft. The Indian response followed Pakistan's 'escalatory' and 'provocative' actions in which it attempted air intrusions at multiple locations, which were thwarted by the Indian armed forces. India and Pakistan engaged in the worst fighting in decades in the wake of India's precision strikes at nine terror infrastructure locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as part of 'Operation Sindoor' in the wee hours on Wednesday. These strikes were in response to the deadly attack at Pahalgam on April 22 in which 26 people, almost all of them tourists, were gunned down by Pakistan-backed terrorists. Following India's precision strikes at terror infrastructure early on Wednesday, the tensions saw a major escalation with Pakistan launching drone and missile attacks against India all along the Line of Control and the international border, and India neutralising Pakistani attacks and retaliating with strikes at Pakistani military assets in various parts of that country. Sukalp Sharma is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express and writes on a host of subjects and sectors, notably energy and aviation. He has over 13 years of experience in journalism with a body of work spanning areas like politics, development, equity markets, corporates, trade, and economic policy. He considers himself an above-average photographer, which goes well with his love for travel. ... Read More


Saba Yemen
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Pakistan announces full reopening of airspace to all flights
Islamabad - Saba: The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) announced on Saturday the complete reopening of the country's airspace to all domestic and international flights, marking a return to normal aviation operations following recent regional tensions. In a statement carried by Pakistan's Samaa TV, the authority confirmed that all airports across the country are now fully operational and available for scheduled flights. The PCAA noted that Pakistani airspace is currently fully open to all flights, emphasizing that aviation operations have returned to pre-restriction levels. This development comes after former U.S. President Donald Trump earlier announced that India and Pakistan had agreed to a complete and immediate ceasefire in a post on his Truth Social platform. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)