Three new names surface for Islamabad International Airport
Shares
ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has rejected three names proposed by Nawaz Sharif-constituted committee for Islamabad’s new airport, without specifying any particular justification.
The committee formed by Nawaz Sharif – two weeks before his disqualification – under Ports and Shipping Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo and comprising Adviser on National History and Literary Heritage Irfan Siddiqui, Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Law Barrister Zafarullah, had proposed naming the airport after Liaquat Ali Khan, Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, or Gandhara.
However, during one of the recent meetings of the federal cabinet, the prime minister rejected all the three names after listening to the arguments of his colleagues.
According to well-placed sources, a thorough debate was held during the meeting in question, with most of the participants stressing that the airport should be named after some Pakistan Movement personality so that no one could change its name on political grounds in future.
A majority of the ministers agreed that the name should be Liaquat Ali Khan airport, however, the premier did not approve the name, Dawn News reported.
The Islamabad airport would become functional from May 3, however, its name has not been finalized to this day.
Pakistan Peoples Party has vehemently proposed naming it after its slain leader, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, however, the government has not given a go-ahead to the proposal.
Moreover, Khursheed Shah, Opposition leader in the National Assembly, had also threatened to move court, if the facility is not named after Benazir Bhutto.
Earlier, a mock flight of Pakistan International Airline (PIA), carrying nearly 250 family members of the national flag-carrier’s employees, touched down at the New Islamabad International Airport on April 7.
PIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Musharraf Rasool Cyan observed the mock exercise.
