Manager suspended after stray dogs spotted in Islamabad airport’s lounge

CAA chief takes strict notice of media reports, issues orders for inquiry into the matter

Manager of the new Islamabad international airport has been suspended following media reports about stray dogs wandering in the facility’s lounge.

The Director General of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has suspended the airport manager with immediate effect, a spokesman of the CAA said in a statement Monday.

The CAA chief took strict notice of the situation and also issued orders for inquiry into the matter, he added.

Experts, however, believe that the entry of stray dogs inside the airport’s premises is a breach of security and not a management-related issue.

The episode, they said, raises serious questions over multiple layers of security including deployment of Airports Security Force (ASF), Rangers and the police personnel at the newly-inaugurated facility.



The news has surfaced days after senators expressed concerns at poor or zero facilities at the new airport in Islamabad with the aviation division conceding the shortcomings. They pointed to the abysmal condition of the washrooms and that the international departure lounges lack washroom facilities for the differently-abled.

The lawmakers also highlighted poor management of the boarding pass counter with people crowding around it. They said that there were few facilities which would make a trip through the airport more comfortable for senior citizens. Similarly, there were insufficient luggage carts since passengers often have to wait for as long as 30 minutes for one.

Moreover, there are no restaurants or shops at the airport for passengers, they added.