Defence minister announces rehabilitation of DIK airport after 'years of neglect'
SCREENGRAB
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said that the Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) had successfully completed the rehabilitation of Dera Ismail Khan (DIK) Airport, which has now been restored to full functionality after years of neglect.
In a post on X, Asif stated that "PAA and the Ministry of Defence are continuing their efforts to restore and rehabilitate dysfunctional airports around the country."
🇵🇰*Another Milestone Achieved by Pakistan Airport Authority* ✅
Dera Ismail Khan Airport has been completed rehabilitated and made functional after years of neglect. PAA/ MoD are continuing their efforts to restore and rehabilitate dysfunctional airports around the country… pic.twitter.com/ToRncZnTWgLast year, the Pakistan Airports Authority completed the commissioning of a state-of-the-art Doppler VHF Omnidirectional Range and Distance Measuring Equipment (DVOR/DME) at the airport as part of the rehabilitation process.
The DVOR/DME is a ground-based radio navigation aid used in aviation that helps aircraft determine their position and distance from a known point.
Located in K-P, Dera Ismail Khan Airport is considered strategically important due to its proximity to the shortest route to the Afghan capital and its location near Central Asian states.
However, the facility had remained inactive as flight operations, including domestic services, were suspended due to limited and expensive operations.
In 2024, the PAA decided to establish a greenfield airport in DIK. For this purpose, 1,817 acres of private land were acquired in Mouza Yark and Glutty for the construction of airport infrastructure and related facilities.
The aviation authority has also accelerated efforts to develop and modernise aviation infrastructure, with major projects underway in Faisalabad, Skardu, and Lahore aimed at boosting tourism, trade, and regional connectivity.
A new master plan for upgrading Skardu International Airport marked a significant step towards transforming Gilgit-Baltistan into a hub for tourism and economic activity.
In Lahore, the construction of a new passenger terminal at Allama Iqbal International Airport was in its final stages, which would double the annual passenger handling capacity from five million to 10 million.
Meanwhile, a new aviation hub in Central Punjab was also under consideration, with plans to develop Faisalabad Greenfield Airport as a modern facility aimed at supporting economic growth, trade expansion, tourism promotion, and job creation across the region.