Aviation minister Soomro orders inquiry into Islamabad airport incident

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Aviation, Mohammad Mian Soomro on Monday took notice of an incident at the New Islamabad International Airport that occurred last week in which some unknown armed men had barged into the canteen of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and shut it down forcefully.

Soomro has sought report from the director general of Airport Security Force (ASF). He directed the ASF head to conduct inquiry into the matter and submit his report.

It was reported that the assailants broke into the canteen on Saturday, hurled threats at staffers and also locked them up in the canteen. The authorities soon reached the scene and set free those trapped inside.

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The assailants also damaged the CCTV system and took it with them.

Reports say that a former contractor for the canteen along with 12 accomplices broke into the building and held the canteen’s manager and security guards. The assailants then kicked out those present inside the canteen and locked it from outside.

The canteen’s former contractor said he had constructed the canteen and was running it for several months, but added that four months ago CAA issued a tender for the canteen, which he claimed was given to a private firm.

The government is yet to comment on the claims made by the former contractor.