Customs’ committee to decide fate of ‘abandoned planes’ at Karachi airport

KARACHI: The customs department has formed a technical committee to look into planes that have been withdrawn from service and parked for years at the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, ARY News reported Saturday.

The committee is mandated to decide about relocation of planes kept at the airport for years.

According to customs officials, the committee comprises officers from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Pakistan International Airline (PIA) and a private airline.

Read: PIA aircraft sold in Germany

The committee will decide whether the stationary planes be auctioned or sent to scrap.

The newly-formed body will forward its recommendations to the higher authorities within the period of three months.

Customs’ collector said at least 45 out of order jets belonging to the PIA and other private airlines were parked at the airport. Some jets either don’t have its engines, or some have their wings missing.

He said the jets had outstanding dues of billions of rupees.

Sources said the CAA was not entitled to solitarily take a decision for removing jets, as the authority was responsibility of the collectorate of customs.

Earlier this month, airbus 310 of Pakistan International Airline, which was parked in an abandoned condition on Leipzig airport for months, was sold in Germany.

It is worth mentioning that, according to sources, under the new leadership of CEO Air Marshal Arshad Malik, the national flag carrier has earned millions of rupees revenue under the austerity campaign.