CAA demands return of 'properties' from PIA

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has requested the return of unused properties and offices from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), ARY News reported on Wednesday.

According to the letter to the CEO of PIA, CAA officials requested to hand over the physical possession of the abandoned space/land/building to CAA which can also help reduce the national airline rental expenditure.

The PIA’s GM directed all the departments to provide the details of the unused buildings and abandoned land by December 15,

Meanwhile, the CAA director general has already informed the aviation ministry about the reclamation process of the unused properties from the PIA.

Last week, the federal government divided the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) into two separate entities.

According to the notification issued here, the CAA has been divided into separate organizations; Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) and Civil Aviation.

Both the entities will be headed by separate heads, the notification stated.

The newly formed Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) will look after the affairs of the country’s airports, the notification stated.

Moreover, matters related to the airport system, flight landing approval, flight safety and other departments will be monitored by CAA.

In recent times, the federal government’s decision to outsource the management of the country’s three major airports prompted strong protests from CAA employees.

The authorities have started the outsourcing process at Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad airports to be run through a public-private partnership, a move meant to generate foreign exchange reserves.