ISLAMABAD – State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs on Thursday informedthe Senate that all airports of the country may be renamed with the namesof national heroes.
The minster said “I have proposed to change the name of Islamabad airportwith the name of Quaid-e-Azam.”
He further said that the Bacha Khan Airport will be operational by May 31this year.He was responding to questions of lawmakers during the Question Hoursession in the upper house of the Parliament.About 80% construction work of the airport had been completed the ministersaid adding the ongoing flight operation at the airport was causing delayin the construction work.
He said the expansion project was inaugurated in March 2016 and manyfacilities of international standard would be provided to the passengers atthe new airport.Suggestion to change the names of all airports of the country with thenames of national heroes was under consideration, the minster said adding“I have proposed to change the name of Islamabad airport with the name ofQuaid-e-Azam.”Prime Minister Imran Khan agreed to the suggestion and names of theairports would soon be changed.He said the present government had opened new routes from Peshawar to theGulf countries. Earlier people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had to take flights tothe Gulf countries from other airports.
He said there was no suggestion to start flights to central Asia fromPeshawar, however it could be reviewed if the trade and tourist activitieswere increased.
Answering a question of on-board catering, the minister said that PIA hada huge network of catering service to meet the requirement of national andinternational flights.
Apart from their own kitchen in Islamabad and Karachi, PIA awarded tenderto the caterers in accordance with the PEPRA rules.
He said PIA maintained the basic standards and quality of the foodprovided to the passengers during flight, however it was not up to theslandered of international airlines.
He said the process of reforms in PIA also continued to bring the airlineat par with international airlines and in seeking the excellence PIA hadfired 200 ghost employees.