lack of safety actions rise air travel’s risk in Pakistan

Fearing further violence and targeted attacks foreign airlines have chosen to suspend their air operations in several areas in Pakistan.

Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways are among those airlines which suspended air travel to and from Peshawar due security reasons.

The announcement comes in the aftermath of an attack on a passenger plane in Peshawar airport.

A lady passenger was killed and two crewmembers were injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a Pakistan’s Airlines (PIA) aircraft before it landed in Peshawar in the late hours of June 24.

At least 30 people including security forces were killed when armed terrorists stormed Karachi’s airport early this month.

Karachi airport is also surrounded by populated areas, a source of great concern for the authorities. To curtail violence the state has announced it will construct tall monitoring towers in the immediate airport area.

Emirates stated that they cannot risk the security of their passengers and thus had to issue an air suspension, “As this situation is beyond the control of Emirates, liability towards our passengers is limited in accordance with Emirates’ Conditions of Carriage for Passengers and Baggage.”

Etihad Airways’ flight EY261 from Abu Dhabi to Peshawar, which was scheduled to depart on June 24 at 11pm local time, was also been cancelled, as per confirmed by  a statement released by the airline.

Affected passengers of both airlines in Abu Dhabi and Peshawar re-booked to travel on alternative airways services to and from Pakistan.

The move comes a few days after the Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific announced that it will be suspending all flights to Pakistan from this month. The decision came as a result of the attack on Karachi airport.

Two flights were diverted from Peshawar Airport to Benazir International Airport in Islamabad and Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore in the wake of the last t attack, confirmed a spokesperson of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
 
Earlier Shaheen Airlines flight landed at the Bacha Khan Peshawar International Airport, resuming flight operations after the attack last night, the spokesman insisted.

Some of the sources in the CAA said that the flights were diverted due to security reasons and routine operations would continue after clearance.

Sources also stressed that security measures had been enhanced around the airports whereas additional security was also deployed to avert any untoward incident.

Due to its geographical location, security at the Peshawar airport is always tricky as the landing route starts from the tribal areas of Bara and Darra Adamkhel.

Peshawar Airport is surrounded by residential areas, including the slums of Nawai Kalley, Badbher and the rural-urban mix population of Ring Road villages on one side.

A four-five kilometre road running along the landing strip of the airport is not properly guarded as the airstrip runs along the main Bara road, residential houses and shops.

It provides a complete overview of the airport, including the military and the passenger aircraft parked on the strips, whereas hangers are also visible to the residents there.

Security analysts have already described these areas surrounding the airport as a potential launching pad for attacks especially after the December 2012 assault on the airport.
 
The runway is toward the northern side, which ends at the main University Road near Tambwan Chowk but the slums of Tehkal starts from the main road which have often been used by miscreants to fire rockets at the airport in the past.

Peshawar airport came under Taliban rocket attack in December 2012 - four civilians were killed. The airport is used as a base by the Pakistan Air Force as well as for commercial flights.
 
The army has responded with air strikes against the Pakistani Taliban in the tribal areas adjoining Peshawar but the terror group has threatened to mount more attacks in revenge.