ISLAMABAD: Torrential rain in Rawalpindi and Islamabad once again caused the roof of the multibillion-rupee Islamabad International Airport to leak, raising fresh concerns over the quality of construction.
In videos received by HUM News English, airport staff could be seen placing buckets under the dripping roof in the terminal’s corridor, with the floor visibly wet from the leakage.
Passengers faced difficulties in both the international and domestic arrival lounges as water continued to seep through the roof.
The roof of the multibillion-rupee airport was last repaired in 2020, with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) claiming at the time that there would be no further leakage issues.
Efforts are under way to get a version of Pakistan Airports Authority spokesperson Saifullah Khan.
Areas of the Islamabad airport that were previously under Attock’s jurisdiction now fall under Rawalpindi.
The Punjab government had earlier issued a formal notification to this effect.
According to the notification, the airport’s runway, ASF Colony, main terminal building, and a 3-kilometer area, previously part of Attock, had been within Rawalpindi’s limits.
Cash-strapped Pakistan is looking to generate revenue by speeding up a privatisation push, including outsourcing the running of three major airports including the Islamabad airport.
Earlier, aA Turkish consortium, the sole bidder to take over the operations of Pakistan’s Islamabad airport, had offered a concession fee below the minimum threshold.