"Pakistani Government to Privatise Airports From Next Year"

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Pakistani Government to Privatise Airports From Next Year
Singapore - Asia Pulse


LAHORE, - Director General, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Farooq
Rehmatullah has said the government plans to start privatising the country's
airports next year and initially the process will be kicked off from
privatising the Faisalabad Airport on a trial basis.

Besides locals, foreign firms will also be invited to participate in the
process, he said while answering reporters' queries in a briefing at the
Allama Iqbal International Airport here on Monday. "Even Indian companies
may also be allowed to participate in the process of privatisation, if they
desired so," he disclosed.

He said CAA was earning profits and its budget to develop the airports had
been increased to Rs 5 billion (US$82 million), of which Rs 3 billion had
been used so far.

To a question about the security money for private airlines, he said it had
been increased from Rs 100 million to Rs 500 million.

"Fundamental changes have been made in the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of
Pakistan aiming at giving aviation in the country a significant boost by
allowing market forces to determine the price, quality, frequency and range
of air services options, with the objective of increasing its contribution
to the nation's GDP from 0.1 to 1.0 percent over a period of five years," he
said.

He discussed the progress made by the CAA following its recent restructuring
in November last year and numerous initiatives and developments undertaken
by the new management.

About the organisation's commitment to keeping pace with global aviation
benchmarks, he said the CAA was currently operating in strict compliance to
the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) standards in the core
areas of safety, security and regularity.


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