Khawaja Saad Rafique announces plans to improve Sukkur, DIK airports

ISLAMABAD, Nov 17 (SABAH): Minister for Railways and Aviation Khawaja Saad Rafique on Thursday announced plans to upgrade Sukkur and Dera Ismail Khan Airports for international flights

Responding to a question during Question Hour in the National Assembly, Khawaja Saad Rafique said the airport in Dera Ismail Khan will be a Green Field Project and completely a new facility in the area. He said the up-gradation work will begin as soon as reports for viability are received.

The minister said airports should not be constructed on political basis as such practice wastes state exchequer. He said unfortunately, many airports were established in the past, which were not viable. He said the runway of Karachi Airport is also being upgraded. He said the government is making efforts to hire small aircrafts, with a capacity of 80 to 100 passengers, on lease to reduce the loss of Pakistan International Airlines.

Responding to a question, Parliamentary Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs Saad Waseem said that the Federal Government has allocated 70 billion rupees to Benazir Income Support Programme for disbursement of one-time cash assistance of 25,000 rupees per beneficiary in flood-hit areas of the country.

Replying to a question, Parliamentary Secretary on Information Technology and Telecommunication Usama Qadri said optical fiber lines are being laid in interior Sindh that will be linked to educational institutions to provide fast internet services in the area.

The House also offered fateha for the departed souls of martyred police officials in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and others. Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali led the fateha.

Earlier, the National Assembly resumed its session at the Parliament House in Islamabad with Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in the chair.