Poor security measures at all three international airports in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad despite repeated warnings by American and European Union authorities have led to the ban on the cargo service of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), forcing the national carrier to suspend delivery of goods to the entire European Union and America, it is learnt.
Sources told Pakistan Today that two years ago, US Homeland Security directed PIA to route all cargo destined for America through Manchester where all merchandise would undergo security checks. They added that six months later, PIA implemented the new protocol.
The sources said that in December 2013, a team comprising American and European officials visited Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad airports and expressed concern over the lax security arrangements at the cargo terminals. “The visiting delegation then gave PIA time until June 2014 to improve security arrangements failing which the airlines could face a ban on cargo services,” the sources added.
The sources said that of PIA’s estimated revenue of Rs 108 billion, the airlines makes Rs 6 billion from its cargo services. “The airlines has a cargo business to EU of around Rs 2.2 billion which will further dent the already frail national carrier,” they said.
PIA spokesperson Mashood Tajwar said the ban was unexpected after the British Transportation Department had ‘validated’ the airline’s operations in June.
As per EU protocols, the assessment of the British officials will be accepted by all the members of European Union.
The temporary ban follows a deadly attack on Karachi airport and another aircraft coming under attack while landing at Peshawar airport. But PIA officials claim that it was strange that no such restriction has been imposed on other private airlines operating out of Pakistan.
PIA does not have any dedicated plane for cargo. But it uses Boeing-777 and Airbus-310 aircrafts to haul cargo overseas.
Two year ago when airport security was declared inadequate, CAA was under the Min of Defense. Thereafter for past one year it is under Min of Aviation, with no improvement, because those who head CAA and PIA are the same, and a controversial bureaucrat heads the ministry, with a more controversial men appointed as Advisor and Czar of Aviation. This suspension on cargo to US and UK does not bode well for PIA, nor for CAA and unless concrete drastic changes take place and experienced professionals appointed, either Pakistani nationals or foreigners, the national aviation industry has a bleak future.
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