Airstrip at Thar coal project site: GHQ asks Sindh government to obtain clearance

[Naveed Yaseen]

AFTAB CHANNA
KARACHI (September 15 2009): The General Headquarters (GHQ) has asked the Sindh government to obtain clearance prior to the establishment of an airstrip at Islamkot, district Tharparkar, for Thar Coal project, it is reliably learnt. Well-placed sources in the Sindh government told Business Recorder on Monday that the Military Operations Directorate, General Staff Branch, GHQ, 18 Division, had asked the provincial authorities to obtain a clearance regarding the setting up of an airstrip at Islamkot for Thar coal project.

The Sindh government had recently started work on the airstrip, which was expected to be completed by June 2011 with a cost of Rs 972 million. In this regard, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had recently invited tenders to start development work at the site, and the proper construction work would be initiated shortly, they added.

They said the GHQ had forwarded a letter to the Sindh government on September 14, 2009, referring the Ministry of Defence letter No 5/D-1(Army-1) dated 8 April 1980 and Paragraph 18 of report of Roads and Bridges Committee on Defence Planning updated 1993.

"It has been learnt that an airstrip is being located within 80 kilometers of the International Border, it requires clearance from the General Headquarters in the light of the Ministry of Defence's above referred letter. In case, aforesaid project is in the offing, you are requested to furnish the details of the project for obtaining prior clearance from the concerned authorities," the sources said while quoting text of the letter.

The airstrip was being constructed as a part of providing basic infrastructure at Thar coal project site to facilitate foreign investors, experts and other technical staff, they said, adding that the airstrip would facilitate travel between Karachi and Tharparkar.

Initially, the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) would operate the chartered general aviation craft flight, while the airstrip would also be used by the military, they said. The sources added the Sindh government would now seek proper permission and clearance from the GHQ and other authorities concerned shortly to avoid delay in the development of airstrip at Thar coal project site.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=961171