Rs2.53 billion allocated for civil aviation security

[SpArK]

Rs2.53 billion allocated for civil aviation security​

KARACHI: The Ministry of Defence has allocated Rs2.53 billion out of its budgetary receipts of Rs505 billion to safeguard the civil aviation industry in Pakistan by utilising available human resource and equipment bench marked at par with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.

The Ministry identified tolerance level in airport security lapses and plans to ensure civil aviation security according to the international standards by applying zero tolerance strategy.

According to official documents, Airport Security Force (ASF) remained pitched against severe security challenges in the wake of increasing incidents of suicidal attacks, target killings and impact of contemporary terrorism in civil aviation being highly vulnerable and lucrative targets for miscreants is obvious.

Therefore, potential attempts to hijack aircraft, suicidal attacks, target killing and explosive-laden vehicle attacks were the main challenges against delivering stream of output.

When contacted, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) officials expressed ignorance about any such security allocation and refused to comment on the security lapses.

Instead, the CAA officials held Airport Security Force (ASF) responsible for taking care of the airport and civil aviation security issues, saying that the authority was just a facilitator.

Sources in the aviation industry said that there are security lapses and referred to frequent thefts at store rooms and other installations at the airport.

They said that the lack of coordination and cooperation among the ASF, FIA and the CAA is the main reason for security flaws.

Last week an important part, CSD, of a PIA aircraft Boeing 737 was stolen. The said part is used to control the engine speed and costs around $100,000. —Javed Mirza

Rs2.53 billion allocated for civil aviation security