Foreign company not allowed into city airport tarmac, PHC told

PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) informed the Peshawar High Court (PHC) that a foreign company is not allowed into the tarmac of the Bacha Khan International Airport for security reasons.

The PAF submitted reply in a writ petition through its lawyer Aamir Javed. The petition was filed by foreign company M/s Gerry’s Dnata (Pvt) Limited against the letter by the PAF.

The letter restricted the company to the terminal building only and banned its staff and vehicles movement to the apron — airport area where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded.

The company moved the high court against the PAF orders claiming that ground handling services at the Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar were part of the company’s agreement with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Aamir Javed informed a division bench comprising Justice Ikramullah Khan and Justice Abdul Shakoor that the PAF had not authorised the CAA to give its land to foreign company. He also denied the claim of the company that Shaheen Airport Services Ltd (SAPS) was a subsidiary of Pakistan Air Force.

However, the court extended the status quo in the case, restraining the PAF from taking any action against the company till the next hearing.

Ali Gohar Durrani, counsel for the company, informed the bench that despite court directives the PAF had stopped the movement of the company’s vehicles and personnel working at the airport to apron area of the airport, causing huge loss to the company as it was providing ground handling services.

The counsel submitted that the company had been engaged in airport ground handling services of various airlines in Pakistan since 1993 and has offices in Peshawar, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Quetta and Multan airports. He said the company had good reputation both nationally and internationally.

He stated that the director general Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had accorded approval for renewal of licence agreement to the petitioner company for services at the airport and the permission is effective from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2022.

Syed Asif Jalal, legal advisor of CAA, requested the court to give some time for submission of the comments. The court fixed September 13 for the next hearing in the case.