Surveillance system: Security upgrade to avert airport attacks
Govt has also deployed heavy contingents of LEAs on airports in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta
ISLAMABAD:
After militants’ deadly attacks on airports, the government has decided to install upgraded ‘security surveillance system’ at all international airports in the country and allocated Rs1.3 billion for the special project.
“Heavy contingents of law enforcement agencies have already been deployed on airports in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta,” said Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) secretary Ali Gardezi, who was briefing the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Friday.
The official told the committee – headed by Rana Muhammad Hayat – that the National Engineering and Scientific Commission had already carried out an initial survey at major international airports for installation of perimetre security surveillance system, procurement of security vehicle dragoon-II and bulletproof sentry post.
“Twenty-five vehicles have been procured from Heavy Industries Textile at the cost of Rs1.25 billion. Fifty bulletproof sentry posts with air-conditioner are being provided to Airport Security Force (ASF) at the cost of Rs12 million. Media persons, vans and visitors’ entrance have also been restricted,” he said.
Replying to the lawmakers’ query as to how militants penetrated into Jinnah International Airport, Karachi despite early alerts by the intelligence agencies to the Airport Security Force and the CAA, the official said specific intelligence report was not shared with the airports’ authority.
“Though the ASF played its role effectively to secure the installation at the airport and many of its soldiers were killed,” he added.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed recommended that Sindh Rangers and Police should also probe the incident and fix responsibility as they failed to stop terrorists outside the airport.
About losses to Pakistan International Airlines, the CAA secretary said the national flag carrier has taken loans worth Rs186 billion from different banks to run its affairs. “The national flag carrier is currently facing losses of Rs8 billion,” he added.
The committee also took notice of the incident of flight-delay on September 15. The flag carrier administration informed the committee that a PIA flight PK-370 faced 25-minute delay at Jinnah International Airport Karachi due to late acceptance of two parliamentarians—MNA Ramesh Kumar and Senator Rehman Malik.
Brigadier Asif Chaudhary, head of the team investigating the matter, informed the lawmakers that Malik and Kumar were in coordination with two officials at the airport and were continually telling them that they were on their way.
“The flight also faced further delay of 15 minutes due to violation of standard operating procedure for not releasing the aircraft within stipulated time departure when all passengers were on board,” he added.
It must be noted that later the charged passengers did not allow these two lawmakers to get into the plane. However, both the parliamentarians denied role in causing delay to the flight.
Brigadier Asif also informed the committee that flight was initially delayed for one and half hours because of late arrival of incoming aircraft EX-PK-369 and a technical fault.
After the initial inquiry, top administration immediately suspended PIA’s Shift Station Manager Nadeem Abro and Terminal Manager Shahzad Ali, he said. “Further action will be taken against the passengers who were involved in agitation/misbehavior with parliamentarians,” he added.
The committee decided to visit new Islamabad Airport on October 13, 2014 for investigation and physical verification of the work done by the CAA. It directed the PIA managing director to provide a detailed report on the local and international loan taken by the PIA since 2006 to date.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 27th, 2014.
After militants’ deadly attacks on airports, the government has decided to install upgraded ‘security surveillance system’ at all international airports in the country and allocated Rs1.3 billion for the special project.
“Heavy contingents of law enforcement agencies have already been deployed on airports in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta,” said Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) secretary Ali Gardezi, who was briefing the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Friday.
The official told the committee – headed by Rana Muhammad Hayat – that the National Engineering and Scientific Commission had already carried out an initial survey at major international airports for installation of perimetre security surveillance system, procurement of security vehicle dragoon-II and bulletproof sentry post.
“Twenty-five vehicles have been procured from Heavy Industries Textile at the cost of Rs1.25 billion. Fifty bulletproof sentry posts with air-conditioner are being provided to Airport Security Force (ASF) at the cost of Rs12 million. Media persons, vans and visitors’ entrance have also been restricted,” he said.
Replying to the lawmakers’ query as to how militants penetrated into Jinnah International Airport, Karachi despite early alerts by the intelligence agencies to the Airport Security Force and the CAA, the official said specific intelligence report was not shared with the airports’ authority.
“Though the ASF played its role effectively to secure the installation at the airport and many of its soldiers were killed,” he added.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed recommended that Sindh Rangers and Police should also probe the incident and fix responsibility as they failed to stop terrorists outside the airport.
About losses to Pakistan International Airlines, the CAA secretary said the national flag carrier has taken loans worth Rs186 billion from different banks to run its affairs. “The national flag carrier is currently facing losses of Rs8 billion,” he added.
The committee also took notice of the incident of flight-delay on September 15. The flag carrier administration informed the committee that a PIA flight PK-370 faced 25-minute delay at Jinnah International Airport Karachi due to late acceptance of two parliamentarians—MNA Ramesh Kumar and Senator Rehman Malik.
Brigadier Asif Chaudhary, head of the team investigating the matter, informed the lawmakers that Malik and Kumar were in coordination with two officials at the airport and were continually telling them that they were on their way.
“The flight also faced further delay of 15 minutes due to violation of standard operating procedure for not releasing the aircraft within stipulated time departure when all passengers were on board,” he added.
It must be noted that later the charged passengers did not allow these two lawmakers to get into the plane. However, both the parliamentarians denied role in causing delay to the flight.
Brigadier Asif also informed the committee that flight was initially delayed for one and half hours because of late arrival of incoming aircraft EX-PK-369 and a technical fault.
After the initial inquiry, top administration immediately suspended PIA’s Shift Station Manager Nadeem Abro and Terminal Manager Shahzad Ali, he said. “Further action will be taken against the passengers who were involved in agitation/misbehavior with parliamentarians,” he added.
The committee decided to visit new Islamabad Airport on October 13, 2014 for investigation and physical verification of the work done by the CAA. It directed the PIA managing director to provide a detailed report on the local and international loan taken by the PIA since 2006 to date.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 27th, 2014.