ISLAMABAD – Air Port Security Force shot down an unidentified drone overnewly-constructed Islamabad airport.

Three Chinese nationals were trying to film the new airportusingthe drone when the officials of Airport Security Force (ASF)noticed the device and shot down it.

Later, the officials arrested the suspects and took the wreckage intocustody. An investigation has been launched into the matter.

The new airport was set to be inaugurated and made operational on April 20but the plan was postponed until May 3, 2018 due to the visit of PrimeMinister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to the UK for attending Commonwealth heads ofstate meeting.

The new Y-shaped airport spreads over 19 square kilometres with 15 jetties(passenger boarding bridges), including facilities to accommodate twodouble-deck A380, the world’s largest airplane, 15 remote bays and sevenremote bays for small aircraft such as ATRs. It will be the biggestinternational airport of the country in terms of landing and passengerhandling facilities.

For the 15 bays, the same number of lounges has been built to avoid mixingof passengers. The new airport has two runways each 3.5 km long.

The construction work on the new airport located 30 km from Islamabadstarted in April 2007.

The new airport will have five level security systems for baggage check, afood court, mini-cinema, children’s play area and car parking for 2,200 to2,500 vehicles. Besides the public car parking, a separate car parking hasbeen built for the airport staff.