KARACHI: Sindh will extend full cooperation to the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) for its major aviation development package in the province, including a new greenfield airport in Sukkur and the expansion and modernisation of the Jinnah International Airport (JIAP) Karachi.
This was stated by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Saturday while chairing a meeting with a PAA delegation led by its Director General Air Vice Marshal Zeeshan Saeed.
According to a statement issued by CM House, the chief minister directed the provincial planning, revenue and works departments and the Karachi and Sukkur administrations to expedite cooperation onland acquisition, land records, road connectivity and regional development alignment.
The meeting participants reviewed four key initiatives the proposed greenfield airport in Sukkur, the improvement and expansion of the Jinnah International Airport Karachi, the upgradation of Hyderabad Airport, and the transformation of the Civil Aviation Training Institute (CATI), Hyderabad, into Pakistan’s first dedicated aviation university.
Karachi airport expansion The meeting participants were briefed on the ongoing JIAP improvement project, which included upgrading passenger areas flooring, ceilings, cladding, lighting, signage, counters and parking with design elements reflecting Indus Valley heritage. The Planning Commission Form 1 (PC-I) and detailed design are under preparation, with a two-year execution timeline.
Officials said that the main runway had already been reconstructed and extended from 3,200 meters to 3,500 meters, along with upgrades to taxiways, airfield lighting and navigational aids.
Future plans include a new 285-foot air traffic control tower and a 10-bay fire station to improve surveil-lance and emergency response.
For terminal expansion, two options were presented an expansion from the existing 115,000 square metres to 400,000 square metres with boarding bridges increased from 12 to 25, and a larger long-term plan for 50 bridges and a capacity of 75 million passengers per annum.
Mr Shah directed authorities to align road connectivity and land matters to ensure smooth execution.
New Sukkur Airport The PAA informed the meeting participants that the existing Sukkur Airport faced airspace, land and expansion constraints. A new greenfield facility is proposed as a regional gateway for upper Sindh, with a capacity of up to 1.6 million passengers annually and capability to handle wide-body aircraft. It is also planned to serve as an alternate for Karachi-diverted flights.
The feasibility study puts the catchment population at over 29.6 million within three hours of the proposed site.
The PAA said about 3,000 acres would be required and sought the Sindh government’s support for acquisition, including a possible public-private partnershipmodel with land equity.
The chief minister asked the relevant departments to examine the PPP proposal and facilitate coordination.
The PAA also presented a plan to upgrade Hyderabad Airport’s 7,000-foot runway to 11,500 feet, positioning it as a regional hub and an alternate to Karachi to support agricultural exports and regional connectivity.
The authority flagged unresolved issues related to mutation and encroachment on around 1,473 acres of airport land and sought provincial help.
The PAA proposed converting Civil Aviation Training Institute in Hyderabad into an HECrecognised aviation university, the first of its kind in the country.
It sought a connecting road between Kotri and Hyderabad and support for utilising existing grey structures at the site.
The chief minister welcomed the university initiative, saying improved aviation infrastructure would strengthen connectivity between Sindh’s cities, support trade and investment and improve passenger services.
The meeting was attended among others by Planning and Development Chairman Najam Shah and Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi.